Albayalde: ‘No mercy for cop accused of rape if found guilty’

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said Monday that there will no mercy for the police officer accused of raping a 15-year-old girl if he is found guilty.

Albayalde was referring to PO1 Eduardo Valencia, who was arrested on Sunday for allegedly raping the minor in exchange for the freedom of her parents who were arrested for alleged possession of illegal drugs.

“We want to assure the public that we will show no mercy sa mga pulis na ganito if siya nga ay mapatunayan na guilty diyan,” he said in a press briefing.

(We want to assure the public that we will show no mercy to policemen like him if found guilty.)

He also said that Valencia, who is now in the custody of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), will be administratively and criminally charged for the alleged rape.

NCRPO Chief Police Director Guillermo Eleazar echoed Albayalde’s pronouncement, saying that he won’t spare erring policemen from punishment.

He also denied that rape in exchange of freedom of drug suspects is a practice among his colleagues. Valencia was earlier quoted as saying that what happened “is not new” among the police.

According to Eleazar, other netizens thought Valencia meant that rape in exchange for freedom is a practice among arresting officers. He said, however, that he was only saying that drug suspects normally accuse the police of committing illegal acts during arrests to prevent being charged. /ee

READ: Eleazar denies rape in arrests a practice among cops