MANILA — Prosecutors have found “probable cause” to charge former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde for his failure to hold officers accountable for their involvement in a 2013 drug raid that resulted in the theft of 163 kilograms of drugs and 9.7 million pesos (US$191,000), the Justice Department has reported.
If convicted, Albayalde could face up to 10 years in prison. Additionally, 13 other police officers are set to face charges related to drug offenses, corruption, and taking bribes during their assignment in Pampanga province.
Albayalde, who resigned from his position as police chief in October 2019 after the charges were brought against him, responded to the announcement with optimism. In a statement to the media, he welcomed the charges, expressing his confidence that he would be able to “finally clear his name.” He added, “Finally, I will have my day in court. My conscience remains clear and I am confident that the truth will bear me out in the end.”
Albayalde served as the head of the police force during the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs, a campaign that has drawn widespread criticism from human rights groups for allegedly promoting extrajudicial killings of drug suspects. The brutal crackdown resulted in the deaths of thousands, with estimates suggesting between 7,000 to 12,000 deaths, many of which were allegedly targeted at the country’s poor population, leaving the wealthy largely unaffected.
Albayalde’s charges stem from the so-called “ninja cops” scandal, in which police officers allegedly sold confiscated drugs instead of properly turning them over to authorities. The charges further taint the already tarnished legacy of Duterte’s war on drugs, which has been accused of reinforcing a culture of impunity and inequality in the country.
The public’s support for Duterte’s anti-drug campaign remains high, despite widespread criticism over its violent tactics. Duterte’s comparison of drug users to Jews killed in the Holocaust, stating that he would be “happy to slaughter them,” has been widely condemned both locally and internationally. Critics argue that the drug war disproportionately targets the poor while leaving powerful elites untouched.
As the legal process moves forward, many are watching closely to see whether Albayalde’s trial will bring any closure to the accusations of police corruption and abuse of power.
