MANILA, Philippines — “I didn’t betray your confidence.”

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa disclosed Tuesday that this was what former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde had told him amid the Senate marathon hearings that pinned him in the “ninja cops” controversy.

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“During…the heat of the Senate hearing, nagusap kami (we talked) and he told me: ‘Mistah (batch mate)…I didn’t betray your confidence.’ Sabi niya sakin, yun lang sabi niya,” Dela Rosa said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if he had recently talked to Albayalde.

Albayalde relinquished his post last October 14, which was weeks before his retirement.

This after he found himself and the PNP embroiled in the issue of alleged illegal drugs recycling in connection with the controversial 2013 drug raid in Pampanga.

Albayalde was then the Pampanga provincial police chief when the operation was conducted where 13 policemen allegedly pilfered 160 kilograms of “shabu,” took a bribe, and arrested a fall guy.

No administrative case was filed against Albayalde following the investigation of the Pampanga drug raid by the National Police Commission.

He is, however, facing a criminal complaint for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for the confiscated, seized or surrendered dangerous drugs.

Dela Rosa admitted that he knew that Albayalde was relieved at the time for command responsibility.

But the senator said this did not hinder him from appointing Albayalde to become the chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and later on recommend him as PNP chief.

“It doesn’t hinder me from appointing him as NCRPO chief dahil wala pa siya pending case. Alam ko involved mga tao niya, na-relieve siya but wala ‘mang kasong na-file sa kanya. So, as far as I’m concerned, he was clean. Pagdating naman sa performance, bakit ko hindi siya i-recommend kay Presidente to be my successor na kahit kayo naman in fairness to him nakita naman niyo how did he perform as NCRPO chief di ba?” Dela Rosa explained.

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(It doesn’t hinder me from appointing him to as NCRPO chief because he has no pending case. I know his men were involved, he was relieved but no case was filed against him. So as far as I’m concerned, he was clean. Performance-wise, why wouldn’t I recommend him as my successor when even you saw, in fairness to him, you saw how he performed as NCRPO chief).

“Yun nga lang, kinalkal yang past, do’n siya minalas, ano yung past niya na yun, wala na ko dun because it did not happen during my incumbency as chief PNP,” he added.

(It’s just that his past was dug up. Whatever his past is, it has nothing to do with me because it did not happen during my incumbency as chief PNP). /jpv