Albayalde clueless about ‘ninja cops,’ claims issue ‘a thing of the past’

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER file photo

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet –– “Ninja cops are a thing of the past,” Police Director General Oscar Albayalde said here on Friday (Sept. 27).

Albayalde was here as the guest speaker of the 118th police service anniversary program of Camp Dangwa, the regional police headquarters in the Cordillera.

He admitted he was baffled that the issue has been recycled following a Senate inquiry on the anomalous release of hardened criminals.

Albayalde’s administration has been criticized owing to revelations by Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong about confiscated narcotics being recycled by policemen, when he testified recently at the Senate.

Albayalde said Magalong, celebrated for leading the fact-finding into the Mamasapano massacre of 44 members of the police special action force, was a former superior officer.

“I do not know. I do not know,” he kept saying when asked why Magalong revived the old ninja cops issue that became controversial before President Duterte assumed office.

Ninja cops were an organized syndicate inside the police system who trafficked drugs seized during legitimate police operations, said Albayalde.

Efforts to cleanse police ranks of rogues were started by his predecessor, now Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who inherited the problem.

Albayalde said he was a Pampanga police director when a “ninja cops” case surfaced in the province for which he was relieved “to pave the way for an impartial investigation.” He added, “I was not one of the accused.”

He told the Cordillera police to continue cleansing their organization of rogue cops, saying they owe it to the public and must not disappoint President Duterte.

“Let us show we are worthy of the support (Mr. Duterte) is giving us,” he said.

“I am glad about your enthusiasm in pursuing our internal cleansing program. I am saddened we still have rogues in our ranks. In recent months, we have put more teeth in this campaign … I only ask that you give these initiatives the proper attention for our police and the people we serve,” Albayalde said./lzb