(Eagle News)–The Palace slammed calls for the resignation of Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde over the 14 deaths of farmers and suspected Communists in police operations in Negros Oriental.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the police operations that also netted 12 people were, after all, “legitimate.”
“There is absolutely no basis in fact and in law for the PNP Chief, General Oscar Albayalde, to resign,” he said.
He said Karapatan and the others calling for the police chief’s resignation were using the incident to “sow hate and spread fear towards our duly constituted authorities.”
“As the PNP explained, this is not a case of massacre given the fact that those who surrendered without forceful resistance were lawfully apprehended unharmed following the discovery of illegal items pursuant to the court sanctioned search. In fact, a policeman was wounded which goes to show that there were indeed some who used violent resistance when authorities were conducting the search,” Panelo said.
He added Albayalde has “even acted objectively by relieving administratively ranking officers from their posts just to pave the way for a thorough and impartial investigation free from any possible undue influence and to determine whether lapses were made during the conduct of these operations.”
He was referring to Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office director Colonel Raul Tacaca,Canlaon City police chief Lieutenant Colonel Patricio Degay, Manjuyod Municipal Police chief Lieutenant Kevin Roy Mamaradlo and Sta. Catalina police chief Michael Rubia, who were sacked by Albayalde pending a probe of the incident.
“In the meantime, we urge the public not to be swayed by leftist propaganda, especially those stemming from groups linked with the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army, designed to stigmatize each and every operation of our law enforcers intended to protect the general welfare and safety of the Filipino people,” Panelo said.