Former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ret. Gen. Oscar Albayalde recounted an instance when former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma, then a Police Colonel, participated in the donning of ranks ceremony with former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The donning of ranks refers to the ceremony in which insignias are placed on police officers when they are promoted to a higher rank.
Albayalde recounted that Garma was the only Colonel who had her rank donned by Duterte in the presence of the generals from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Ang natatandaan ko si Col. Garma nang magkaroon ng call sa Presidente ay siya bukod-tangi nagpa-donn ng ranks in front of us kasama ang iba pang generals,” Albayalde recounted during an exclusive interview with DZRH's Dos Por Dos.
“Mag-isa lang siya [Garma] at nagpa-donn ng ranks sa Pangulo. Kung makita mo 'yun medyo alam na ng lahat na iba ito dahil kami nga hindi dino-donn ng ranks kundi chief PNP lang,” he added.
At the same time, Albayalde denied the alleged reward system within the PNP during his leadership, stating that he had not heard of any such system, even when he served as Regional Director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) from 2016 to 2018.
“Wala kaming alam diyan kaya hindi natin alam kung saan nakuha ni dating Col. Garma. Hindi ko alam [baka] kung sila ang may sistema na sila-sila,” Albayalde mentioned.
“Sa isang chief PNP napakalabo niyan, unang-unang walang nakalaan na pondo sa ganiyang operation. Mayroon operational funds na napupunta sa iba't ibang stations noon,” he added.
In addition, the former police general clarified that there were no discussions, direct or otherwise, with former President Duterte regarding the killings of drug suspects.
“Mahigit isang taon, kulang-kulang dalawang taon na ako'y naging PNP Chief. In fairness walang indirect o direct na utos sa akin [pagpapatayin] sa war on drugs,” said Albayalde.
In 2018, Duterte named Albayalde as Chief of the PNP succeeding current Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
