Director General Oscar Albayalde gives a press briefing on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. (Photo from a PNP video posted on its Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the son and namesake of Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon would not get special treatment.
“No special treatment. Wala whatsoever,” Albayalde said after the Simbang Gabi in Camp Crame on Sunday.
The police chief said that Faeldon never called him up to ask for any favor regarding his son, who was arrested in an alleged drug den in Naga City.
READ: LOOK: Nicanor Faeldon’s son arrested for visiting ‘drug den’
“In fairness kay DG (Director General) Faeldon, hindi n’ya hiningan ng special treatment yung anak niya. Wala s’yang hininging favor sa amin,” Albayalde said.
“I think very clear and sinabi [ni] DG Faeldon na kung talagang may kasalanan yung anak niya, he will never tolerate it. That’s a good assurance already,” he added.
After news broke last Friday that Nicanor Faeldon Jr. was arrested for visiting a drug den in Barangay Mabolo, Naga City, the older Faeldon — a former military man — vowed to kill his son if the accusations were true.
But even with this assurance, some netizens expressed belief that influence kept Faeldon Jr. alive, unlike in other cases where suspected drug users and pushers were killed on the spot.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that as of October 2018, a total of 4,999 drug personalities were killed in 113,570 anti-drug operations done by the agency and the PNP since June 30, 2016.
Meanwhile, 161,584 other suspects were arrested alive.
READ: PDEA: Almost 5,000 killed in Duterte’s war on drugs as of Oct. 2018
Some, on the other hand, said that the younger Faeldon had a chance to prove his innocence while Kian delos Santos — who was dragged off by officers before being killed — could not testify anymore.
The policemen who killed Delos Santos have been convicted of murder in the killing that President Rodrigo Duterte said was not part of a legitimate police antidrug operation.
READ: 3 cops convicted of murdering Kian / Duterte: No pardon for cops in Kian delos Santos slay
Faeldon Jr. tested negative for drug use and was not found carrying any illegal drugs. Still, he was charged with violating Section 6 of Republic Act 9165 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for allegedly maintaining a drug den.
READ: Faeldon son negative for drugs, but … / Faeldon son charged with ‘maintaining drug den’ – police
Albayalde believes that being negative for drug use does not automatically translate to non-involvement in the drug trade.
“Well kung talagang nag negative naman sa drug test… pero sinasabi ko nga marami naman nag-nenegative sa drug test na talaga namang hindi gumagamit pero involved sa illegal na droga,” he noted.
He stressed however that Faeldon Jr., like any other drug suspect, deserved due process.
“Everybody deserves due process. Meron sinasabing alibi yung kanyang anak na doon yata naan talaga sila nakatira together with his wife or girlfriend,” Albayalde said.
“So, nasa kanila ‘yon at there is always presumption of innocence unless otherwise proven,” he added. /cbb