Albayalde turns tables on Magalong, bares ‘little favor’ request

MANILA, Philippines  — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Wednesday disclosed that Baguio City Mayor and former Assistant Director for Operations of the PNP- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Benjamin Magalong asked for a “little favor” from him sometime from 2006 to 2010.

Albayalde said Magalong was on floating status during that period.

“There was one time, I was under him in a few months in the CIDG… also when he was the assistant director for operations… One time he called me for a little favor, during this time, he asked a favor from me,” Albayalde told ABS-CBN News Channel.

Magalong, in Tuesday’s Senate hearing on police officers involved in the illegal drug trade, linked Albayalde to irregularities in a major drug raid in Pampanga in 2013.

Asked what type of favor did Magalong requested, Albayalde said: “You can ask him personally about that.”

“You can ask him that, of course, I obeyed, I was underclass, it was the call I favorably agreed on the call,” he said.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net on Friday, Magalong said he could not recall of Albayalde called him for help.

“I wish I have an idea what he was talking about. I can’t recall an incident wherein I asked for his [Albayalde] help,” Magalong said.

Magalong added that he was “absolutely sure it has nothing to do with drugs.”  /gsg

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