‘Ninja cops’ controversy affecting drug war – Albayalde

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Friday lamented that the “ninja cops” or recycling of seized illegal drugs controversy is adversely affecting the government’s war on drugs.

“I think even the entire Filipino nation is affected here. Even the war on drugs is affected also,” he said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

The Senate is investigating the alleged irregularities in the 2013 drug operation in Pampanga in 2013, when Albayalde was provincial police director.

Former PNP – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Benjamin Magalong Jr. said it was impossible for Albayalde to not have immediately spotted irregularities in the said drug sting.

“To say the truth, of course apektado ‘yung morale ng tao, apektado ang morale ng PNP dito (The morale of the people and the PNP is affected here). While we are doing our best, it seems we are doing everything and yet a thing of the past will just come out,” he said.

READ: Albayalde admits PNP’s morale ‘somehow’ affected after ‘ninja cops’ issue

He said he would be lying is he will claim that he and his family are not affected by the issue.

Albayalde said his fate as PNP chief is up to President Rodrigo Duterte.

He also shunned the call of the House of Representatives’ Makabayan bloc for him to immediately step down from his post.

“That’s Makabayan bloc. You should remember. Sino bang nagsasabi (Who was saying it)? That’s Makabayan bloc eh,” he said.  /gsg

READ: Makabayan bloc to Albayalde: Resign now