Fearful prospect

In a talk with the newspaper’s editors following his guesting in the regular “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune,” Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said President Rody Duterte is completely hands off from the affairs of the PNP “not even in the assignments or reassignments of senior officers.”

“The NBI concluded in a probe that the Garbo couple amassed assets way beyond their legitimate income and for non-declaration of assets in his SALN from 2005 to 2015.

“He lets the PNP leadership decide, but we are answerable to him. We are accountable for our actions and decisions,” Albayalde said.

Policy guidance comes from his speeches, which were taken as policy, with “some adjustments” since Rody is known for his hyperboles.

Such leadership style makes one ponder what may have happened had somebody different, like failed presidential and now senatorial bet Mar Roxas, had become President.

Even during the 2010 campaigns, police generals were frequently seen tagging along with Roxas in his sorties and were believed to have been part of the campaign team.

On 2 April 2010, several active-duty police generals were spotted at the Novotel Manila at the Araneta Center which is owned by the family of Roxas and very near the Liberal Party (LP) campaign headquarters in Balay.

The PNP generals were chief of the intelligence staff of PNP Director Generoso Cerbo Jr., Chief Supt. Renier Ido of Cagayan Valley, Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz of Western Visayas and deputy regional director of the Calabarzon region Chief Supt. Ronaldo Santos.

What was notable was that the police officials were assigned to vote-rich regions.

Later on, retired PNP Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. appeared and was reported to have met with a member of Roxas’ staff.

Garbo said the generals and his staff “did nothing but exchange pleasantries.”

Roxas denied any political agenda at the meeting, but who was he fooling since the meeting took place during the campaign period.

Garbo, nonetheless, admitted “helping” the LP in his personal capacity.

Garbo also related he went to Cebu to attend the kick-off rallies of local bets, including gubernatorial candidate and incumbent Gov. Hilario Davide III. “Mar Roxas, definitely I’ll help him, but there’s no deal between us,” he was quoted as saying.

The three-star general was backed by Roxas to be chief of the PNP, but former President Noynoy Aquino eventually picked Director General Ricardo Marquez.

When Rody assumed office, he unveiled his signature war on drugs and named Garbo as one of five narco generals, the others being retired Chief Supt. and now Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot, former Western Visayas police regional director Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz, former National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao and former Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio.

Rody’s first Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said Garbo could be an associate of the drug syndicates detained at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) and one of those who raised the P1 billion assassination pot for Rody and PNP Chief Ronald de la Rosa.

De la Rosa had also revealed drug lords at the NBP had offered P10 million each for his and Duterte’s heads, but since nobody was willing, it was raised to P50 million each.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last November filed criminal charges before the Ombudsman against Garbo and his wife for alleged ill-gotten wealth amounting to P35.36 million.

The NBI concluded in a probe that the Garbo couple amassed assets way beyond their legitimate income and for non-declaration of assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth from 2005 to 2015.

The NBI also recommended to the Department of Justice to make a request, through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the United States government, to determine if indeed Rosalinda Garbo or any member of the Garbo family owns real property in the US, so that these will be subjected to forfeiture proceedings.

The investigation also sought to determine if the undeclared assets were sourced from the proceeds of illegal drug trade.

The what-if scenario remains frightening since Roxas continues to aspire for an elected position.