Albayalde welcomes raps: ‘At least I will be accorded due process now’

MANILA, Philippines – Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde has welcomed the criminal complaint filed against him by no less than his former men at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday.

“At least I will be accorded due process now,” he said in a text message.

The CIDG has amended its original complaint to include Albayalde, who was then Pampanga police director during the questionable operation in Mexico town. From only being relieved from his post in 2014, Albayalde is now listed as the first respondent in the amended complaint.

READ: PNP-CIDG files criminal charges vs. Albayalde

The CIDG first filed a complaint in 2014 against 13 policemen involved in the anti-drug operation in Pampanga, where they allegedly bagged over a hundred kilograms of “shabu” (methamphetamine), took a bribe worth P50 million from the drug suspect in exchange for his freedom, and arrested a fall guy. The case, however, was dismissed by the DOJ in 2017.

Albayalde, along with the 13 policemen, was charged for graft, qualified bribery, falsification of public documents, dereliction of duty, and violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

The controversial police operation resurfaced after it became the subject of the Senate investigation on alleged irregularities in the Good Conduct Time Allowance law, which has branched out into a probe on drug recycling.

Albayalde went on non-duty status due to the controversy, officially vacating the PNP chief post just weeks before his retirement on November 8. /je