Año says Albayalde could have been sacked for command responsibility

MANILA, Philippines – Retired police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde could have been sacked based on the command responsibility doctrine had he stayed in office, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said.

Año said this of the beleaguered ex-Philippine National Police (PNP) head when asked if administrative charges would still be pressed against the latter, even after retirement.

“Probably because of command responsibility, it follows that he has to be relieved,” Año told reporters at the sidelines of a Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) event on Monday.

However, he clarified that the 13 police officers who were under Albayalde’s wing when he was still Pampanga police chief may face additional sanctions.

Albayalde resigned last October 14, weeks ahead of his supposed resignation on November 8, due to a Senate probe on the alleged recycling of drugs by his men back in 2013. Retired Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief and now Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong pinned down Albayalde.

READ: BREAKING: Albayalde steps down as PNP chief

READ: Albayalde: Police officials ‘ganging up on me’ worked with ‘previous admin’

Several senators who attended the Senate blue ribbon committee hearings believe that there is a strong case against Albayalde, as he supposedly tried to intervene with the suspension of the involved officials.

READ: Gordon, Drilon: There is strong evidence to charge Albayalde for ‘ninja cops’

READ: ‘Ninja cops’ probe: Senate panels recommend life imprisonment for Albayalde

After Albayalde’s resignation, PNP’s second in-command Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa took over as officer-in-charge. Gamboa is one of the three names recommended by Año to President Rodrigo Duterte as next PNP chief, including Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

Año said that he advised Duterte to take his time in picking the next PNP chief, as it would be important in the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.