Albayalde says ‘ninja cop’ issue a ‘trap’ to make him resign

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde speculated on Wednesday that linking him to the controversial “ninja cops” issue is meant to force him to resign or seek early retirement as head of the country’s police force.

“What I see is that’s their end game. I will not fall into that trap,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if he considers resigning as PNP chief amid allegations being hurled at him.

“I think this is all about that… I think that’s a trap,” he added.

Albayalde, who will step down as PNP chief when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 on November 8, said he will wait for the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte on whether he should still hold the post.

But according to Albayalde, he cannot speculate if Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong was not acting alone in dragging him to the irregular anti-drug operation in Pampanga in November 2013 in a Senate investigation on Tuesday.

READ: Magalong drops Albayalde’s name in ‘ninja cops’ probe

Despite saying this, the PNP chief raised questions on how a single person can spark such a big controversy.

“What I cannot understand is how a single person can do this, especially now that you are a mayor when you are supposed to be a part of this government in the effort in ridding the nation of illegal drugs, where you are supposed to be a public servant, to serve the public, your constituents in particular, and not to destroy the campaign of the organization, not to destroy another organization,” said Albayalde.

He also explained that he is not sure if Magalong dragging his name in the controversy is “something personal” for the former CIDG chief, who he believes is “definitely not” a man of integrity.

READ: Albayalde believes Magalong ‘not a man of integrity’

Albayalde was Pampanga police director while Magalong was director of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) during the 2013 operation.

During the Senate hearing, Magalong alleged that Albayalde intervened in the dismissal order of 13 police officers involved in the operation. The order for their dismissal was downgraded to a one-rank demotion in 2017.

Albayalde was administratively relieved from his post to pave the way for an impartial investigation in March 2014. /muf

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