MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Thursday said former police officials linking him to the questionable 2013 Pampanga drug raid have “ill motives” against him and “obviously all worked with the previous administration.”
In a statement, Albayalde maintained “the timing of this attack and smear campaign against me” is dubious, asserting that up to now “despite the Senate hearings conducted, no hard evidence was ever presented showing that I was involved in that drug raid in Pampanga in 2013.”
He also noted that all of the “statements made remain allegations, insinuations, and unsubstantiated.”
“All those police officials ganging up on me have ill motives against me and obviously all worked with the previous administration,” Albayalde said.
Albayalde further said retired Brig. Gen. Rudy Lacadin “has a lot of explaining to do and he will have his day in court.”
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac – quoting Albayalde – said in the same statement that the PNP chief “vehemently denies” calling Lacadin, former deputy director for operations of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, about the investigation on the drug raid in Mexico town.
During Wednesday’s Senate hearing, Lacadin claimed that Albayalde called him and asked about the investigation he was conducting against the Pampanga policemen involved in the drug sting. Lacadin also said that in the same phone conversation, Albayalde had told him about only getting “a little” from the controversial anti-drug operation.
READ: Lacadin implicates Albayalde in 2013 drug sting in Pampanga
Banac also said that for Albayalde, Lacadin was “never a friend” and was just a franchisee of their water refilling business in 2011.
Moreover, Banac dispelled rumors that Albayalde has resigned from his post amid the investigation on the alleged recycling of illegal drugs seized from that 2013 raid.
He said Albayalde has repeatedly stated that he will leave his fate to the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte and that he is ready to relinquish his post to anyone who will be selected by the Chief Executive. /kga
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