(Eagle News)–Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday, Oct. 1, questioned the motive of former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong for hurling allegations against him.
During the hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance law, Albayalde said Magalong, who was at one point the top three man in the Philippine National Police, could have followed up on the dismissal order against then-Col. Rodney Baloyo and his men.
Baloyo and his team have been accused by Magalong of colluding to enable the release of a drug suspect they had arrested in a raid in Mexico, Pampanga in 2013.
Magalong also accused them of presenting only 30 kilograms of the 200 kilograms they had supposedly seized during the raid.
But Magalong, who is known for his defense of the PNP Board of Inquiry report ascribing liability on then-President Benigno Aquino III for the botched Mamasapano operation in 2015, said he could not possibly follow up on the order as he was swamped with work, being the supervisor of all operating units in the country.
He also denied he had any motive, noting that the issue on some policemen engaged in illegal drugs recycling was raised in a “spontaneous” manner during one hearing on the GCTA law.
Magalong said he did not even know he was going to be asked then by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon about whether or not there were policemen engaged in illegal drugs recycling.
That’s when I called for an executive session, Magalong said.