September 19, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — An investigation is underway on 24 former chiefs of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to find out who may have aided dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo escape.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has ordered the probe and instructed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to validate the revelation by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) senior vice president Raul Villanueva that a former PNP chief may have helped Guo flee the country in exchange for money.
“If there is evidence that can link and prove the said connection to a former chief PNP… even if you’re a former chief PNP you are not above the law,” Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP’s chief information officer, said at a briefing at Camp Crame yesterday.
To kick off the probe, the CIDG will coordinate with Villanueva for the name of the ex-chief PNP who is believed to be connected with Guo and on the former mayor’s payroll.
Fajardo said it is important to narrow down the figure as everybody who has served as PNP chief is a suspect. There are 24 former PNP chiefs who are still alive; five have already died.
“He said these are just rumors but these are serious rumors involving a former chief PNP,” she said.
At least two former PNP chiefs are pushing back at Villanueva’s allegation, calling on the retired military general to name the person he is referring to.
Among them is Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., who said Marbil should file a case against Villanueva for putting the PNP in a bad light if the latter fails to substantiate his innuendos.
Azurin also chided Villanueva for insinuating a former PNP chief is colluding with Guo while admitting they are still verifying the information.
Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said Villanueva should identify the former PNP chief he is referring to so the person can clear his name. Acorda said he never met Guo and that Villanueva’s statement is unfair as it put him and other PNP chiefs in a bad light.
Former PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde, for his part, said he never encountered Guo in his life.
Lacson: ‘Balitang sink’
Former senator Panfilo Lacson, also a former PNP chief, described Villanueva’s allegations as “tsismis or what we PMAers fondly refer to as ‘balitang sink’ or toilet news.”
Meanwhile, senators would like to know the identity of the former PNP chief who received monthly payroll from POGOs, as alleged by Villanueva, a former commander at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, also a former PNP chief, dared Villanueva to give names instead of giving out unverified information.
“It smeared the names of all former chiefs PNP from the latest chief PNP to the oldest living one,” Dela Rosa said. “The accuser should clarify his statement and give it substance. Otherwise, he should not have released the information.”
Dela Rosa was the first to deny that he was the chief PNP being alluded to by Villanueva.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros expressed concern about the information that a former PNP chief is accepting bribes from Guo, which she described as “unacceptable” and that a former top official has become an instrument for POGO-related crimes.
“This is both a public order and national security concern,” Hontiveros said. “If it is true that there is a former PNP chief on the payroll of Guo Hua Ping or the POGOs, this shows how vulnerable our law enforcers have become to POGO money.”
“We also receive a lot of information from different sources. We will respect our law enforcement and intel agencies in their process of vetting and verifying this information,” she said.
Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. said the truth should come out as without the names, many will be under suspicion.
“It’s better that the information come out from them. As long as we get the truth out about it and solve it,” Revilla said.
The senator noted that without the identity of the former PNP chief in the monthly payroll of POGO, the others, who are innocent, are also under suspicion.
But Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said he did not want to dwell on Villanueva’s testimony, which he described as “tsismis.”
“I heard what he said. It is only at the level of tsismis. Hence, I don’t want to dwell too much on it,” Pimentel said. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marc Jayson Cayabyab
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