Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong at the Senate hearing conducted last Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. File photo by CATHY MIRANDA / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate may beef up the security of Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, a former chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, if he would ask for it, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Saturday.
“If he will request for security from the Senate, we may provide [him], probably augmentation. He’s the Baguio mayor so I think he has a security detail in Baguio City,” Lacson, speaking partly in Filipino, said in an interview at AM radio station DWIZ.
Senators would have to discuss the issue, he said.
“But, of course, we would probably give it to him if he will request for security,” he added.
In another radio interview, Sen. Richard Gordon said security assistance was also provided for Magalong’s family.
‘Naming, summoning ninja cops at Senate’
Last Thursday, Sept. 19, Magalong revealed in a Senate executive session the names of the so-called ninja cops — police officers involved in the recycling of illegal drugs seized in police operations.
Lacson said he was in favor of making public the names of the ninja cops involved in “agaw-bato,” as the recycling scheme is called in Filipino.
He said the ninja cops must also face Senate probe set on Tuesday, Oct. 1, to answer the allegations against them.
“It is better for them to face the Senate probe as we already have documents, their identities, and the facts of their case,” Lacson said.
“It’s better for them to be in the Senate, in fairness to them, so that they would have a forum where they could immediately answer allegations or accusations against them,” he added.
Gordon said he had already sent a notice to those who would be summoned in the Senate probe.
“That is our intention” he said. “Summon them immediately so that we can have jurisdiction over them and that they can answer.”
Gordon praised Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde for confirming his attendance to the Senate probe.
“The best way is to confront the issue if thinks he is being talked about, although I did not announce anything like that. Of course, it is also for command responsibility,” Gordon said.
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