ILOILO CITY –– Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Abayalde should opt for early retirement from service “to save the PNP from embarrassment,” Sen. Franklin Drilon said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of tourism promotion events here, Drilon, a former secretary of the Department of Justice, said the evidence that came out during the Senate hearings on the so-called ninja cops showed that the highest-ranking police officer was involved in a cover-up.
“I am convinced that there was a cover-up. There is no sufficient evidence in my view to indicting (Albayalde) for having participated. But the evidence is there to show that he was part of the efforts to cover up,” Drilon said.
The Senate blue ribbon committee is investigating the activities of the police officers involved in the confiscation of illegal drugs and selling the bulk of these into the market.
Albayalde has been accused by former and current police officials of interfering in the case involving police officials under his command when he was chief of the Pampanga police office.
The policemen were accused of pilfering the bulk of illegal drugs confiscated in an anti-drug operation.
On Wednesday, retired Brig. Gen. Rudy Lacadin testified at the Senate committee hearing that Albayalde had admitted to him that he benefited from the pilferage but “only got a little.”
Drilon said Albayalde should consider retiring before his mandatory retirement set on November 8, 2019.
“…He retires in one month. It may be good for him to have an early retirement so that PNP can recover from the embarrassment that was shown in the Senate hearings for the last nine hearings that we had,” the senator said.