CAMP OLIVAS -- Acting Pampanga Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde is reportedly facing relief for "command responsibility" lapses on the alleged irregular activities in the conduct of a buy-bust operation at Woodbridge Subdivision, The Lakeshore in Mexico town last November 29, 2013.
Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) director, said he has already approved the recommendation of the investigating body for the relief of Albayalde after careful and thorough evaluation of evidence and accounts of witnesses and respondents on the alleged buy-bust operation.
Petrasanta said that Albayalde will be relieved under the Doctrine of Command Responsibility due to his failure to take corrective action at his level despite the chance given to him to do so.
He said that the request for clearance on the relief of Albayalde is a matter of standard operating procedure of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the relief and reassignment of unit commanders and key officers which was already submitted to the Office of Chief PNP Director General Alan Purisima, following in-depth investigation conducted by PRO3 on the case.
Petrasanta said that the clearance is necessary to effect the said relief as the regional director has no blanket authority to implement outright the relief of an officer of such level.
Earlier, PRO3 has filed before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, City of San Fernando, Pampanga charges against Superintendent Rodney Raymund Baloyo, former chief of Pampanga Intelligence Branch (PIB), Senior Inspector Joven de Guzman Jr., former Pampanga Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG) and eleven of their personnel.
De Guzman and his 11 personnel were placed under preventive suspension for 90 days that started on March 3, 2014 to pave the way for the conduct of summary hearing proceedings on their administrative case which all stemmed from alleged irregularities in the conduct of the anti-illegal drugs operation.
During the alleged buy-bust operation, PAIDSOTG confiscated shabu worth P182 million and arrested a Chinese national, Ding Wenkun, 30, and Roel Luage Cabag.
However, according to intelligence reports, a group of ten armed men in civilian attire on board a Hyundia Sta. Fe and a Nissan Urvan led by Senior Inspector De Guzman stormed the house of Mr.Lee (Ding Wenkun) on November 29 last year, over powering the detailed security of the subdivision.
After a few minutes the group left the house with two luggage bags and a medium vault but without Mr. Lee, Petrasanta said.
He said the said items turned out not included in the list of seized evidence and the certification of seized evidence was signed on November 30, 2013, a day after the operation only which categorically violates the standard operating procedure on anti-illegal drugs operation. (Ric Sapnu)