Gordon: ‘Magalong was telling the truth’

MANILA, Philippines — Between Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Senator Richard Gordon believes Magalong was the one telling the truth.

“Magalong was telling the truth,” Gordon said in an interview with reporters on Wednesday when asked which of the two he thinks is being honest.

During a Senate investigation on Tuesday, Magalong said it was impossible for Albayalde, who was Pampanga police director at that time, to not know what was happening when the irregular anti-drug operation was launched by his men in Mexico town in November 2013.

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

Magalong, a former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director,  said the operation was a case of “agaw bato” scheme or a racket where police officers recycle seized drugs.

READ: Magalong: Albayalde also got SUV out of ‘agaw bato’ operation in 2013

Gordon said he agrees with Magalong that it was impossible for Albayalde to not have known the circumstances of the big-time drug sting.

“After operation report, obviously maraming makakalusot. Hindi niya pinakialaman, ang pinakialaman niya ‘yung [kung paano] isasalba ‘yung tao niya na hindi naman kailangan isalba na obviously… [are] incompetent. Tapos na-promote. Lahat ‘yan indicative na inaalagaan. Paano kung hindi mo inaalagaan, sisigaw ba?” he said.

(After the operation report, obviously there will be a lot who will evade probe. He did not meddle with it and instead worked on how to spare his men, who should not be spared because they [are] obviously… incompetent. Then they were promoted. All of it are indicative that they are being protected. If they are not being protected, would they spill the beans?)

Gordon also described the 2016 phone call made by Albayalde to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino as a “very inappropriate conduct.” Aquino was then chief of the Central Luzon police.

“In the middle of investigation na all your people tatanggalin, [tapos] tatawag ka, masama ‘yun (where all your people will be dismissed, then you will call, that’s not good),” he said.

He added Albayalde was guilty of neglect of duty for not properly accounting his men during the 2013 anti-drug operation, and that he should “really consider” resigning as PNP chief following the wake of the controversy. /je