(Eagle News)–Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino on Thursday, Oct. 3, revealed some people were plotting against his family.
Aquino said the information was relayed to him by a friend, who called him two days ago or on the same day he revealed in a Senate joint panel that now-Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde called him up in 2016 to ask the status of the cases filed against 13 policemen behind a 2013 raid in Pampanga.
“Sir, pinaghahandaan nila pamilya mo,” Aquino quoted the caller as saying.
He said he feared for their safety, noting that his own security escorts have also been recently recalled.
The police had said the recall was to ensure the proper deployment of policemen in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games.
Aquino subsequently wrote a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte for the reinstatement of his security detail, a request the President granted.
During Thursday’s hearing, Aquino was more forthright, and said Albayalde specifically asked him in the 2016 call not to implement the dismissal order against the 13 policemen.
“Sir, baka pwedeng wag mo muna iimplement ang order,” Aquino, who was then the Central Luzon regional director, quoted Albayalde as saying.
Aquino said he told Albayalde, “Bakit Oca?”
“Kasi mga tao ko sila,” Aquino said Albayalde answered.
“Then I answered, Oca, iparereview ko kaso nila then papatapon ko sila,” Aquino said.
Albayalde has already admitted calling Aquino, but only to ask about the case of the policemen, who were his men when he was Pampanga police provincial director.
He said this was to help the policemen’s families who he said had been asking him about their loved ones.
Albayalde said, however, that he never influenced Aquino into doing anything.