Valid committee recommendations

Former PNP chief police general Oscar Albayade will not be held administratively liable in connection with the controversial buy-bust operation in Mexico, Pampanga, in 2013 when he was the provincial police director. This comes from Rogelio Casurao, vice chairman and executive officer of Napolcom. According to Casurao it is difficult to prove that he was aware of or involved in the operation in question. Casurao added that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's investigation into the rogue cops controversy is different from their own investigation because the Senate's purpose is to aid in legislation or create new laws. So while Albayalde is accountable based on the Blue Ribbon Committee's report, it does not mean that he will immediately be criminally or administratively liable.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report has recommended several changes most notably "suspend or dismiss rogue policemen, not merely reassign them to other posts". I have always questioned why errant police officers are merely reassigned to other posts. That does nothing about their already criminal character. The committee has also echoed the wish of the Internal Affairs Service to be separate from the PNP because of the slow pace of investigations into rogue cops. Agree as well.

I also totally agree that police officers must be graduates of a four-year college course before entering the PNP Academy for more specific training into becoming good police officers. A good education would do wonders for a policeman not to mention truly professionalizing the police force. That would be something to wish for. The report concludes by stating that resignation from office does not exempt police officers from liability, obviously pertaining to Albayalde's resignation. Well, according to Napolcom he is no longer administratively liable. What's next?

PDEA chief Aaron Aquino believes the case filed by the CIDG against Albayalde is weak. Will the criminal case soon be dropped? I'm not holding my breath as Albayalde does have the support of the Palace. Aquino would want more evidence to make the case against Albayalde stronger as he believes the former PNP chief to be liable. Aquino testified before the Senate that Albayalde inappropriately called him and asked about his men. I sure hope criminal charges against Police Major Baloyo and his men would prosper and not be dropped after the investigation was reopened in light of the revelations at the Senate hearings. Baloyo's bungling answers have revealed just how bad their lies were and the obvious deception they tried, and almost succeeded, to cover up the fact they made off with hundreds of millions in pesos worth of seized illegal drugs, along with cash and vehicles.

The recommendation of the committee would have come in handy in this case. Baloyo's men were merely reassigned and then after several years demoted by one rank. True enough, since those actions did nothing about their true character, four of them were involved in another controversial operation where they robbed a house in the guise of an anti-drug operation. Reminds me about that saying about old dogs and new tricks. Or was that the turtle and the scorpion?