WATCH: PNP-CIDG Legal Division chief Lt. Col. Joseph Orsos said case vs. Albayalde was not hastily filed. He said there is no single strong evidence vs. the ex-PNP chief but should look at totality of evidence. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/kA5lhUIoef
— tetch torres-tupas (@T2TupasINQ) November 5, 2019
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said there’s a 70 to 80 percent chance that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would find probable cause to indict former PNP Chief General Oscar Albayalde.
Albayalde is facing a string of criminal complaints after a Senate inquiry showed that his men when he was still Pampanga Regional Director during a 2013 raid seized 200 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu but only declared 36 kilos.
Previously, a complaint has been filed against the Pampanga policemen before the DOJ but was dismissed in 2014. Albayalde was not among those mentioned in the complaint.
He was even administratively relieved as provincial director of Pampanga and was reassigned to Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) on floating status on March 26, 2014, to pave the way for an impartial investigation being conducted by then CIDG chief now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
“Emphatically, after ‘in-depth investigation’ conducted by then CIDG Director Benjamin Magalong, I was never charged with any criminal or administrative offense,” Albayalde said in his counter-affidavit.
PNP-CIDG Legal Division chief Lt. Col. Joseph Orsos said: “There is no single strong evidence (against Albayalde).”
“The totality of evidence shows he is indeed liable,” Orsos told reporters.
“I think there is a 70-80 percent, I believe he (Albayalde) is liable. What we are only looking for is if there is probable cause. I don’t know what is the standing of the panel (of prosecutors) but for us, we believe that what they saw in the Senate, then that’s it since there is no additional evidence except from what was discussed in the Senate,” he added.
Orsos also denied criticisms that they rushed the filing of the case against Albayalde. He explained that despite being given only five days to file their amended complaint and submit additional evidence, they were able to produce 11 witnesses and all relevant records from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
The PNP-CIDG will still reply to the counter-affidavits submitted by Albayalde and his co-respondents. Next preliminary investigation is set for Nov. 11.
