Former CIDG chief and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong speaks on the Senate Blue Ribbon Inquiry on “Ninja Cops” as PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde looks on him on October 1, 2019. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA
MANILA, Philippines — The name of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde was dragged into the Senate’s probe into the alleged “ninja cops” when a 2013 anti-drug operation under his watch was brought up in the hearing.
Albayalde’s name was mentioned by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who finally disclosed in an open public hearing of the Senate committee on justice on Tuesday his earlier testimony in an exclusive session conducted by the panel.
At that time, Magalong was head of the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“During the executive session , I mentioned a particular incident, sometime on November 29, 2013 wherein intelligence officers of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office conducted an anti-drug operation in Lakeshore Mexico Pampanga
“During that time the provincial director was the incumbent chief PNP, General Oscar Albayalde,” he said.
Magalong said then PNP chief Alan Purisima directed the CIDG to investigate the anti-drug operation after receiving information that several intelligence officers of the police provincial office suddenly acquired new sports utility vehicles.
The anti-drug operation supposedly yielded 30 kilograms of shabu and a “substantial” amount of cash. A high profile drug trafficker, a Chinese national identified as Johnson Lee, was also arrested.
But after conducting their own investigation, Magalong said the CIDG found out that the seized shabu was about 200 kgs , and not 30 kgs.
The illegal drugs, he said, were stuffed in an oversized luggage, which was carried by four persons.
“Kitang -kita na pati yugn shabu tumutulo pa and according to one of the witnesses…pati sa hagdan nakakalat yung drugs mismo sa hagdanan,” he said.
“It only showed there’s no proper handling of evidence,” he added.
Magalong named all the policemen involved in the operation led by Police Supt. Rodney Raymundo Louie Baloyo.
Albayalde was later relieved from his post. /muf
READ: PNP says dragging Albayalde in drug recycling an attempt to tarnish his name