CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – A major accomplishment turned out to be the Waterloo of Pampanga police director Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde, after his relief order was sought.
Only the approval of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Allan Purisima, is needed before Albayalde is unceremoniously booted out from his post under the doctrine of Command Responsibility.
A press release emanating from the office of Central Luzon Regional Police director, Chief Supt. Raul D. Petrasanta, said he has signed Albayalde’s relief “due to his failure to take corrective action at his level despite the chance given to him to do so.”
Petrasanta said Albayalde’s relief is a matter of “standard operating procedure.” This developed after charges were filed in court against Supt. Rodney Raymund Louie Baloyo IV, former chief of the Pampanga Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), Senior Insp. Joven B. de Guzman Jr., former Pampanga Anti-illegal Drugs Operations Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG) and 11 of their men.
They were first subjected to preventive suspension on March 3 to pave the way for summary hearings on their administrative cases which stemmed from alleged irregularities in the anti- illegal drugs operation on November 29, 2013 in Narra St., Woodbrige Subd. inside Lakeshore in Mexico town.
The anti-illegal drugs operation was considered one of the biggest accomplishment of the Pampanga police under Albayalde which resulted in the seizure of 36.5 kilos of suspected shabu amounting to P182 million and the arrest of Chinese national Ding Wenkun, 30, of Jiangxi, China and Roel Luage Cabag of Samboan, Cebu.
On Tuesday (March 11), a case for Violation of Sec 27 of Article II of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act has been filed before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor against the erring policemen. Petrasanta said he has already approved the recommendation of the investigating body “after a careful and thorough evaluation of evidence and accounts of witnesses and respondents” on the alleged buy-bust for the relief of Albayalde.
As of press time, Albayalde’s relief order is still pending and awaiting the approval of Purisima. Petrasanta said “the move of dismissing and disciplining erring police personnel shows efforts of the police in removing bad eggs in the police force and that the rule of law does not distinguish rank, position or popularity whether victim or respondent in the PNP organization.”
The CL top cop also said, “This is a clear manifestation of the keen determination of the PNP to remove misfits among its ranks.”
