Albayalde questions motives of ex-CIDG chief who accused him of coddling rogue cops

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde Monday questioned the motive of his accuser even as he assured the public that the controversy he is facing won't affect the campaign against illegal drugs.

Albayalde said former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong, who accused him of trying to protect some policemen involved in the drug trade, had the chance to act on rogue cops when he was still in the service.

"He (Magalong) was the chief of the CIDG and later became the director of the DIDM (Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management) when he had all the chance and time and the power and authority to monitor supervise," Albayalde told reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2.

"I wonder why after six years he is now accusing us, as if we are not doing anything to address the scalawags in uniform. And also I would like to ask yung during the time when they were still in the service, when did the ninja cops thrive? When did the illegal drugs problem in country worsen? Definitely not during the time of President Duterte," he added.

READ: Albayalde: No attempt to interfere in case vs Pampanga cops

Albayalde said he does not know what motivates Magalong to link him to the illegal drug trade.

He also accused Magalong of putting words into the mouth of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino, whom the former CIDG chief quoted as saying that Albayalde had asked him not to enforce a 2014 dismissal order against some policemen in Pampanga. 

Magalong said Aquino was the police chief of Central Luzon when the incident took place.

"He (Magalong) is putting words into the mouth of somebody else. I think this is very ungentlemanly, of him and very unstatemanship of somebody who is occupying a position in the government," the police chief said.

READ: Guessing game continues: Who are the 'ninja cops?'

Asked about his previous encounters with Magalong, Albayalde replied: "I don't know with him. Perhaps, you know, there are people who are frustrated in a position probably and he knows that he is the most deserving person. I really don't know."

Albayalde claimed Magalong even asked him for help when the former CIDG chief was in floating status from 2006 to 2010. He did not elaborate, however, saying Magalong should be the one to provide the details.  

Pressed if he thought the allegations would affect Duterte's confidence in him, Albayalde replied: "I really don't know. I hope not because the president knows how we implement the campaign against illegal drugs. This is just a matter of perception."

'Childish' exchanges

Albayalde said the exchanges between him and Magalong won't affect the crackdown on narcotics.

"We (PNP) will concentrate on the campaign against illegal drugs because this is the promise of the government, promise of the President to the Filipino people. We will not relent in this campaign against illegal drugs and we will not involve ourselves in this very childish exchanges," the police chief said.

"We always talk to our people. It's up to them. We do our job, that's what the President said. Do what is right and we do our job," he added.

Albayalde said it would be up to Duterte to decide whether he would retire from the police service early. He will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on November 8.

"It depends on what the president will say. If the president says I will retire, there's no problem with that,"

"Remember I consider myself as expendable, I am a government employee, a public servant. I think all of us are expendable."