Albayalde ''categorically debunked'' claims by dismissed cop on gov't adviser's drug links
Philippine National Police ( PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde “categorically debunked” the allegations made by a dismissed cop they ignored his intelligence report about the involvement of President Rodrigo Duterte’s special economic adviser Michael Yang to illegal drugs.
“I would like to categorically debunk allegations made by dismissed Police Col. Eduardo Acierto that I failed to act accordingly to an intelligence report that he purportedly submitted when he was still in the service with the debunked anti-illegal drugs special operation task force,” Albayalde said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Albayalde said since he assumed office April last year, he cannot recall receiving any copy of alleged involvement of Yang to illegal drugs.
“I do not remember having receive any copy of an alleged report that identified presidential adviser Michael Yang as being involved in illegal drugs or illegal activities,” he said.
“If at all there is an actionable intelligence on this report, Acierto should have acted on it and launch operation even without clearance,” he added.
He said police personnel cannot directly give information to the PNP chief.
“If that is a memorandum, it is very unlikely for a deputy or ordinary personnel from a unit to directly write to the PNP chief. It is usually the director or chief of office that usually writes to the chief PNP or to the head of office,” he explained.
Albayalde added once officers report to the chief PNP, they have a plan on how they will execute the operation, especially on actionable operation with enough evidence.
If it’s intelligence information, Albayalde said the basic route is to go to directorate for intelligence for validation.
Former PNP chief and senatorial aspirant Ronald Dela Rosa, Police Director Camilo Cascolan and Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino confirmed receiving a report from Acierto and passing it to proper authority.
But for his part, Albayalde said no such document was turned over to him by the former PNP chief.
Albayalde said as far as they are concerned, Yang is not included in any watchlist or investigation of person with links to illegal drugs.
“We don’t have information on the alleged illegal activities of Michael Yang… even the Mr. (Allan) Lim he was saying. We don’t have information on that,” said Albayalde.
In a drug matrix provided by Acierto, Yang and Lim were business partners who operate several drug clandestine laboratories in Cavite, Cagayan De Oro and Davao.
He also questioned Acierto’s timing as his motive could be to “discriminate” allegations against him in attempt to muddle his ongoing case with his involvement on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu smuggled inside magnetic lifters through the Bureau of Customs.
“We really do not know the timing here. It’s election time,” said Albayalde.
“First of all, he could have said these things. He had all his chance during the Denate hearing. Remember, Acierto is not facing any or there is no standing warrant of arrest against him so if he showed up, no one will arrest him and we really do not know if has death threat or the 5 or 15 million bounty he is saying,” he added.
Albayalde said they are willing to give him protection.
“My advice to him is to man up and face the charges squarely rather than shoot from the hip with indiscriminate accusations,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
