No order from Duterte to kill local politicians — Albayalde

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde has shut down allegations that the deaths of three local politicians over the past week are the result of state-sponsored killings.

“Walang sinabi ‘yong ating pangulo, whatsoever. In fairness to our President, wala pong sinabi ang ating pangulo diyan,” Albayalde said during a press briefing on Monday, when asked if President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the PNP to kill local officials.

“We can assure the public on that,” Albayalde said.

Critics of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration have raised fears of an alleged plot, where the murder of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili, General Tinio Mayor Ferdinand Bote, and Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan will be used as basis to declare martial law over the whole country.

Opposition Senator Kiko Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party, asked whether the killings were part of a “deliberate and orchestrated” move to create a chaotic situation, and therefore justify a “strongman rule.”

READ: ‘Killings create climate of lawlessness’ – LP

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured the public that the recent spate of violence would not be a reason to expand the current martial law in Mindanao, saying that only rebellion and invasion could be possible grounds.

“Sen. Pangilinan is a lawyer himself. He should know that if there is lawlessness, there cannot be a nationwide imposition of martial law. I think that was what he was driving at. Martial law is only for rebellion or invasion,” Roque said in a recent press briefing.

READ: Series of killings not a ground to declare nationwide martial law — Palace

Intensified anti-crime ops


On the part of the police, Albayalde said intensifying the anti-crime operations of the PNP would not translate to a martial law-like scenario, adding that 24-hour checkpoints have been existing even before the recent killings of local politicians happened.

“Malayong-malayong naman ito, we’ve been doing this 24-hour checkpoints, we’re just trying to intensify our operations. Kung nakikita natin before is one or two, probably we can just increase,” he explained.

“Remember, nationwide checkpoint operations are on a 24-hour basis, actually noon pa po natin ginagawa ‘yan, whether before elections or whether walang elections, 24 hours dapat talaga ang checkpoint operations natin, including our Oplan Sita. Ginagawa na po natin ‘yan, walang bago dyan,” he added. — With reports from Kristine Macasiray/INQUIRER.net Intern

/vvp