Quitting is not an option for Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde, who has been implicated in the recycling of illegal drugs 36 days before his retirement.
Yesterday, Albayalde said he was not considering resigning, adding that his fate depends on President Rodrigo Duterte.
The police chief said those linking him to “ninja cops,” police officers who recycle seized illegal drugs, want him to resign or seek early retirement.
“That’s their end game. I will not fall into that trap,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
Albayalde said he still enjoys the trust and confidence of Duterte.
Former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong on Tuesday identified 13 police officers who allegedly recycled drugs. All 13 police officers were under Albayalde when he was the provincial director of Pampanga.
Magalong, now the mayor of Baguio City, said Albayalde has a lot of explaining to do on the drug recycling involving his former men. He, however, admitted that he has no hard proof linking Albayalde directly to the crime.
Albayalde described the attacks against him as “character assassination,” pointing out that Magalong did not take action against the supposed erring police officers during his term as chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management.
“Seemingly he is being portrayed as a man of integrity. The timing is questionable. Why now? Are you jealous because Albayalde is the police chief?” he said. Albayalde denied Magalong’s allegations that he intervened in the case by calling Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino, who was then the regional director of Region 3.
“Sometime in 2010 or 2011 he (Magalong) called me for a little favour. Now he’s saying a call is a bad thing,” Albayalde said.
The PNP yesterday placed the 13 police officers named by Magalong when he testified before the Senate’s blue ribbon commission on Tuesday on floating status. The police officers — Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman, SPO1 Jules Maniago, SPO1 Donald Roque, SPO1 Ronald Santos, SPO1 Rommel Vital, SPO1 Alcindor Tinio, SPO1 Eligio Valeroso, PO3 Dindo Dizon, PO3 Gilbert De Vera, PO3 Romeo Guerrero Jr., PO3 Dante Dizon, and PO2 Anthony Lacsamana — were all members of the Pampanga police force.
“We can consider them floating because they are under investigation,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a press briefing.
Banac said police officials are waiting for the final decision of the Department of Justice (DoJ) on whether charges would be filed against the policemen. He added that the police force remains behind Albayalde despite the controversy.
“The entire police force is fully supportive of the PNP chief,” he added.
Albayalde is set to retire on November 8 as he reaches the age of 56.
Sen. Richard Gordon, head of the blue ribbon committee, said Albayalde should consider resigning.
Gordon said Albayalde and Aquino should come clean on the illegal drug war waged by the Duterte administration that appeared to have been negatively affected by the drug recycling controversy. The House of Representatives is also planning to launch its own investigation into the “ninja cops” controversy.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader Janette Garin and Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago said the lower chamber might hold a public inquiry in aid of legislation into the controversy when the session resumes in November. 
“We will be resuming November 4. Upon resumption this will actually be a good issue to look into. There have been consecutive issues involving our uniformed personnel…and if such an institution becomes highly demoralised and they do not fulfil their obligations, I hope this issue will not open a line of tactical diversions,” Garin told reporters.