As controversy persists over the resignation of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde, Malacanang assures President Rodrigo Duterte will enforce the law if there is evidence of wrongdoing.
Malacanang spokesman Salvador Panelo told a press conference on Tuesday that as the number one enforcer of the law, there is no reason Duterte would not take action.
Malacanang Palace is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines.
Panelo said this in response to Senator Richard Gordon who asserted it would be a “national disappointment” if the Duterte administration choose not to file administrative and criminal charges against Albayalde and other erring police officers over the alleged drug recycling activities.
“The President is the number one enforcer of the law. So if there is evidence against any wrongdoing then it behooves the government to file and prosecute,” Panelo said according to Manila Times.
Panelo, who also serves as Duterte’s top legal counsel, claimed that Albayalde was absolved of his administrative case after he resigned from his post but also stressed that the PNP chief may face criminal charges, if the Department of Justice (DoJ) could determine “probable cause”.
“Because it’s either the Senate or the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) that will recommend for prosecution, then the DoJ will decide.
“It’s the prosecutor who will determine the existence of probable cause,” he said when asked if Albayalde has criminal liability.
Albayalde on Monday relinquished his post as the country’s top police chief amid an investigation into his alleged involvement in drug recycling in Pampanga in 2013.
During a media interview on Monday, Gordon said that Duterte should pursue charges against Albayalde for him to show that he did not give special treatment to erring subordinates.
“That will be a national disappointment [if the government would not file a case against Albayalde]… They should dig up cases. We already dug up cases. The administration should dig up cases for us to have strong evidence,” Gordon had said.
At the very least, the senator said Albayalde should be facing charges for neglect of duty, corruption, conspiracy, and violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165).
The filing of charges should also include the 13 Pampanga police officers who were involved in the irregular drug operation in Mexico, Pampanga, on Nov. 29, 2013, where they were accused of pilfering millions of pesos worth of illegal drugs.
They were found guilty for grave misconduct in 2014 for failing to account for all confiscated evidence during the operation.