DAVAO CITY —- Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Abayalde this morning October 14, stepped down from office, ahead of his retirement on November 8.
Abayalde who has been in hot water over the 2013 anti-iilegal drugs operation in Pampanga, in a press statement said “Since I am retiring compulsorily on Nov. 8, 2019, this will pave the way for the appointment of my replacement should the President so desire,”
During the flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame earlier this morning, the embattled PNP chief told the men “After careful thought and deliberation, I have come to the decision to relinquish my post as Chief PNP effective today and go on non-duty status.”
Abayalde’s resignation came after back-to-back Senate hearings where former generals have implicated him as negligent.
“My last command as Chief [of the] PNP is for you to carry on in the service of our fellow Filipinos so that all of us may live and work in peace. Do not let these challenges demoralize or stray you from your path,”Abayalde told his troop.
During the Senate investigation, it was revealed that in the November 2013 operation of Pampanga cops against big shabu dealerss, the operating team hid over a hundred kilograms of shabu (methamphetamine) and accepted a bribe from the drug suspect, Abayalde was serving as he Provincial Director and the raid was under his supervision.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in an interview with CNN Philippines said “I can only speculate that perhaps, he has had enough of the innuendos, the accusations, according to him which are false and unfair.”
Retired Police General, now Baguio City Mayor Bejamin Magalo during the Senate investigation said Albayalde sought to defer the dismissal order against his former subordinates, an allegation the PNP chief vehemently denied.
