Magalong: Albayalde also got SUV out of ‘agaw bato’ operation in 2013

MANILA, Philippines — Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong accused Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde of being among those who bought new units of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) after an anti-drug operation was conducted in November 2013.

Magalong, who was a former chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), alleged that the said operation was an “agaw-bato” operation as intelligence officers started buying new SUVs soon after.

He said PNP chief Alan Purisima asked him in February 2014 to investigate a Nov. 29, 2013 anti-drug operation conducted by several policemen in Woodbridge Subdivision in Mexico, Pampanga.

“Nabanggit po na pati ‘yung [Pampanga] provincial director, mayroon din siya [na SUV] [It was also mentioned that the Pampanga provincial director also bought an SUV],” Magalong said during the Senate inquiry into the issue ofthe so-called “ninja cops.”

However, Albayalde was quick to deny Magalong’s statement, saying that his car back in 2013 was “an old model” of a pick-up truck.

“I really don’t know what personal gripes Major Magalong here has against me because this happened in 2013. What I have in 2013 was a pick-up truck, the model I don’t know, an old model one. I can even say that I bought that from a neighbor,” Albayalde said as a response to Magalong’s accusation.

The PNP chief said he does not know the motive behind why Magalong is resurrecting the issue after six years, especially when the 13 policemen who were found guilty of grave misconduct over the said operation was already ordered dismissed.

“If there’s anything against these people, it could’ve done, even against me, it could’ve been done back in 2014, 2015, not during my time as chief PNP,” he said. /jpv

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