(Eagle News) – The 15 police security escort assigned to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director Gen. Aaron Aquino, who were previously recalled, will now be returned to him, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde.
Albayalde said that he had already directed the Regional Director of Provincial Regional Office 3 to “bring back all the security personnel” of Aquino.
He said he decided on this after Aquino claimed that he and his family had been receiving security and death threats
“Nung sinabi nila that their lives and their families lives are under threat so para po mawala itong pinag-aaway na ganito at seemingly parang kami ang nag-te-threat, I directed the RD of Police Region Office 3 to bring back all the security personnel of DG Aquino para po mawala yung ganyang tinatanong sa akin,” Albayalde said.
The PNP chief was recently embroiled in the controversial ninja cops issue because of the illegal drugs operation of Pampanga policemen during the time that he was head of the Pampanga Provincial police.
Aquino, admitted during a recent Senate hearing, that when he was still the head of the regional Police Office 3, Albayalde, who was already then assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), had called him up asking him about the status of the dismissal order against Police Major Rodney Baloyo and 12 other policemen involved in the questionable November 2013 Pampanga raid.
Aquino said Albayalde had directly asked him to have the case reviewed first, and for him not to implement the dismissal order against Baloyo’s group.
The PNP Regional Office 3 recalled Aquino’s security detail on Sept. 18.
This was after the PDEA chief had bared that there were 53 active members of the PNP who are involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs.
-President Duterte had ordered return of Aquino’s security detail on Sept. 26-
Aquino then appealed the recall order of his PNP security detail to President Rodrigo Duterte, citing threats to his life and that of his family.
Duterte, on Sept. 26, approved this request, according to PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon.
But it was only over the weekend that Albayalde directed the return of the previously recalled PNP security escorts of PDEA chief Aquino.