Drilon tells 'ninja cops' their days are 'numbered' after Albayalde indictment
MANILA, Philippines — The move of the Justice department to recommend graft charges against retired Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde should serve as a warning to cops involved in the illicit resale of seized illegal drugs.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon made the statement Friday, a day after the DOJ found probable cause to charge Albayalde with violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over the 2013 Pampanga drug recycling case.
DOJ recommended the filing of graft charges against Albayalde “for persuading, inducing or influencing another public officer to perform and act constituting a violation of rules and regulations in connection with the official duties of the latter, and for causing any undue injury to any party, including the government.”
He was however, cleared of drug-related offenses, bribery and negligence.
Drilon said the indictment of Albayalde should serve as a warning to “ninja cops” that law is catching up with them.
“An indictment of a former top cop should send a clear signal to unscrupulous members of the police force involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs: your days are numbered,” Drilon said.
He added: “You may not be caught today or tomorrow but, certainly, the law will catch up with you and send you behind bars.”
In 2013, Albayalde was the head of Pampanga police when local cops were accused of making off with the shabu they seized. He was accused of protecting his subordinates who were linked to the illegal drug raid.
Twelve other police officers were also indicted for several violations such as qualified bribery, planting of evidence, and delay and bungling in the prosecution of drug charges.
A recent Social Weather Stations survey showed that 78% believe the accusation there are “ninja cops” in the 190,000-strong force. It also found that 23% of the respondents said there are “very many” rogue cops and 44% said there are “somewhat many” “ninja cops.”
“It is only when we stop the impunity that we can truly end this decades-old problem of recycling of illegal drugs perpetuated by these so-called ninja cops, the very same people in charge of this administration’s bloody anti-illegal drug war that has killed over 5,000 Filipinos,” Drilon said.
Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said Albayalde remains “innocent until proven guilty.”
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