Clash of generals

All that Magalong said regarding his alleged interference in the dismissal of 13 cops in Pampanga were hearsay, says Albayalde.

Bombshells unleashed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra stresses a point while Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde listens as Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Aaron Aquino exchange views during yesterday’s Senate investigation.

After days of speculation, the Senate inquiry yielded names of alleged “ninja cops” responsible in keeping some 162 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu seized during an anomalous anti-drug operation in Pampanga in 2013.

During an open hearing, presided over by Sen. Richard Gordon, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former director of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), named several ex-Pampanga Provincial Police Office (PPO) operatives as involved in recycling seized illegal drugs.

These were Supt. Rodney Raymundo Louie Baloyo, Senior Insp. Joven De Guzman Jr., SPO1 Jules Lacap Maniago, SPO1 Donald Castro Roque, SPO1 Ronald Bayas Santos, SPO1 Rommel Munoz Vital, SPO1 Alcindor Mangiduyos Tinio, SPO1 Dante Mercado Dizon, SPO1 Eligio Dayos Valeroso, PO3 Dindo Singian Dizon, PO3 Gilbert Angeles de Vera, PO3 Romeo Encarnacion Guerrero and PO2 Anthony Loleng Lacsamana.

According to Magalong, these police officers conducted an illegal buy-bust operation in Lakeshore, Mexico, Pampanga in November 2013 when incumbent PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde was the director of the Pampanga PPO.

He said the CIDG investigation of the anomalous drug bust was prompted by the observation of then PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima that those involved in the raid subsequently acquired sport utility vehicles, including Albayalde.

“He (Purisima) received several intelligence reports that police officers of Pampanga have newly acquired SUV. He told me ‘Benjie, can you investigate this. Just recently, there was operation in Pampanga about 30 kilos of shabu. Then all of a sudden, they got SUV all at the same time,’” Magalong said.

Albayalde in an interview over DZMM said all that Magalong said regarding his alleged interference in the dismissal of 13 cops in Pampanga were hearsay.

The PNP chief asked the Senate to reveal the details of the executive session of the Senate with Magalong in full. Albayalde also questioned the motive and the timing of the linking of his name in the drug recycling operations in the PNP.

Albayalde, who was at the Senate hearing, denied acquiring an SUV, saying he only has a pickup truck at that time.

“I really don’t know what personal gripes Mayor Magalong here has against me because this happened in 2013. What I have in 2013 was a pick-up truck, the model I don’t know, an old model one. I can even say that I bought that from a neighbor,” Albayalde said.

However, Albayalde was subsequently relieved as Pampanga PPO director for command responsibility.

In the course of the CIDG investigation, Magalong said that they were able to establish, among others, that at least 200 kilos of shabu were seized from the suspect initially identified as Johnson Lee.

However, Magalong said that only 38 kilograms were declared by the operatives, led by Baloyo.

The missing 162 kilograms of shabu have an estimated street value of P648 million.

Apart from these, Magalong said that it was found out, through witnesses’ testimonies, that the rogue cops received P50 million from Lee, who was freed and another Chinese was presented as suspect.

Magalong said that about P10 million in cash was also recovered from Lee’s lair at Wood Bridge in Lakeshore, Mexico town.

Sen. Richard Gordon wants to take the masks off ninja cops.

“Was he (Albayalde) blinded by his men? As commander, you should have blow-by-blow updates of operation as big as this one,” said Magalong, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982 while Albayalde belonged to PMA Class of 1986.

He added “this is not a clash of classes, this is not a clash of generals. I have nothing against him (Albayalde).”

Magalong junked Albayalde’s claims that he (Magalong) has gripes against him, saying “that is the best alibi. The most convenient alibi.”

The Baguio City mayor maintained that the issue is about what is “right and wrong.”

At the same time, Magalong also convinced Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino to reveal a call made by Albayalde while he was serving as Police Regional Office-3 director — inquiring on the status of the case of Baloyo and company.

“There was a time when General Albayalde had called me. I cannot recall the exact date and the specific month but it’s between July and December 2016. And he is asking about the status of the case of Baloyo and he told me if I can review that first because I want the result,” Aquino said.

Pressed why Albayalde wanted to review the case, Aquino quoted the incumbent chief PNP as saying “because those are my people.”

Albayalde confirmed making the call but stressed that it was a mere inquiry about the status of the case and not, in any way, to influence the result of the review. He said that being a former superior, the families of the officers were asking him about the case.

“Yes, I asked for the status I could not possibly influence an RD (regional director) or an upper class, Mr. Chairman. I was an acting RDO (regional director for operations) of NCRPO (National Capital region Police Office) then so, of course, I would ask him,” Albayalde said.

“But never in one time that I asked for any favor. I was asking for the status that is the very reason why General Aaron ordered for the review of the case which is normal in the process in of Philippine National Police, your honor,” he said.

Albayalde added he was not aware of the subsequent events after then Brig. Gen. Amador Corpus, his successor, issued an order in October 2017 and before he was assigned as PNP chief in April 2018. “I could not have influenced any decisions.”