Albayalde on Eleazar’s outburst: ‘If I were him, I could have done more’

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde on Thursday defended National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Major General Guillermo Eleazar’s outburst before an erring policeman, saying he could have done more if he was in Eleazar’s shoes.

“Baka hindi lang ganoon ang nangyari. Talagang kung minsan talaga, even when I was the regional director ng NCRPO, talagang sa init ng ulo, dahil sa sama ng loob mo rin, na bakit meron pang ganyan, [this happens],” Albayalde said in an interview with Unang Balita.

“Kung minsan talagang hindi mo maiwasan ‘yung outburst mo dahil sa sobrang galit. Pareho din ‘yan ng kung minsan napapalo natin ‘yung mga anak natin sa bahay,” said Albayalde, who was NCRPO chief before leading the entire police force in the country.

According to Albayalde, Eleazar’s actions before Corporal Marlo Siblao Quibete, who was arrested for robbery-extortion, stemmed from his frustration on police officers who are still committing crimes despite repeated warnings.

Quibete, who was stationed at the District Drug Enforcement Unit of the Eastern Police District, allegedly received P20,000 in marked cash from a woman in exchange for the dropping of drug charges against his live-in partner.

READ: EPD drug unit relieved after cop arrested for extortion

Eleazar personally confronted  Quibete and publicly scolded him.

But Eleazar denied having punched the erring police officer in the chest or having pulled his hair.

Eleazar denies slapping, pulling hair of cop arrested for extortion

Albayalde added that Eleazar’s outburst against the policeman, which was done in front of news cameras, is a way to warn rogue police officers that the PNP is serious in its internal cleansing program.  /muf