Men behind Fajardo abduction trying to discredit police, military — Albayalde

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde asserted Friday that the suspects behind the abduction of businessman Allan Fajardo are trying to discredit the police or military.

“Remember yung sinasabi nila na vest na parang na-ano ng police but anybody can buy it anywhere. Hindi kasi exclusive yan sa PNP alone or even para sa AFP,” Albayalde said in a press conference in Laguna on Friday.

(Remember what they said on the vest worn by police officers? Anybody can buy it anywhere. It’s not exclusive to the PNP or the AFP)

“Or pwedeng ganun talaga ang ginamit nila to discredit again the Philippine National Police [PNP] or even the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP] or any other law enforcement agency for that matter,” he added.

(Or maybe that’s what they use to discredit the PNP, the AFP or any other law enforcement agency.)

The PNP chief was reacting to allegations that the police or military could be behind the abduction of Fajardo, a former aide of slain Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili at the Seda Hotel in Nuvali in Santa Rosa City a week ago.

An official from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), who refused to disclose his identity, alleged that the police or military may be involved in the abduction.

READ: Slain Batangas mayor’s aide, trader ‘abducted’ in Laguna

Albayalde, however, said the suspects could be “professionals,” members of syndicates or business rivals of Fajardo.

“I’m sure they are professional kasi ano sila e, they are well equipped but what we’re sure here pwede itong sindikato pwede siguro may nakabangga itong tao o siguro may business rival. Hindi natin masabi,” he said.

(I’m sure they are professionals because they were well equipped. But what we are sure here is that these could be members of a syndicate or business rival.)

READ: Men in combat gear abducted mayor’s ex-aide–NBI

The Fajardo family’s legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, previously called on the PNP to explain its silence and inaction on the case. /ee

READ: Police ‘inaction’ on abduction of trader ‘very strange’ – Topacio