PNP dismisses claim abducted police chief involved in drug trade

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Region XI on Friday said the New People’s Army (NPA) is justifying the abduction of the police chief of Governor Generoso town by claiming he is involved in the drug trade.

“The Police Regional Office XI dismisses the press statement of the chief propagandist of the NPA as another propaganda attempt to justify the attack of a police station by enemies of peace who ransacked the evidence and stock room of the station and kidnapped the Chief of Police of Governor Generoso,” the police regional office said in a statement.

The communist movement said Chief Insp. Arnold Ongachen had insisted that he keep the illegal drugs. The move prompted President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to cancel efforts to retrieve him.   

In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Police Chief Insp. Andrea dela Cerna said that the PNP regional office is already making its own investigation on the incident.

“Hindi kami nagde-depend sa sinabi nila [NPA],” she said.

With this, PNP Region XI urged that Ongachen be given due process to know if he is really guilty of the crimes the members of the NPA accuse him of.

“Ang isang pulis ay tao ring may karapatan, may pamilya at may sariling buhay. Accord him his rights as a human being. No matter what good treatment you are claiming, nothing can replace a person’s freedom if he has not done anything wrong,”

PNP Region XI also said the NPA also stole the firearms used in the commission of crimes pending in the courts, during their attack in the General Generoso police station.

Regional Director Chief Supt. Manny Gaerlan in a text message said that efforts to rescue Ongachen and to  pursue the suspects are jointly conducted by their regional office and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“However, our efforts have turned negative result. Intel Ops are also ongoing to gather info of his whereabouts,” he said.

The PNP Region XI, meanwhile, said that it “respects and supports” Duterte’s decision to cancel his own rescue efforts to save Ongachen.

“Let the attack on Governor Generoso MPS serve as a warning and lesson to Chiefs of Police/PNP personnel who relax their guards despite threats, who are not doing their job well, or those who are involved in irregularities,” the statement wrote. — BAP, GMA News