• Dela Rosa told: Stop hiding behind VP Sara’s skirt
• Cascolan warned Mabilog — Abante
Former chiefs of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are up in arms over what they consider the “irresponsible statement” of retired Brigadier General Raul Villanueva, who testified during a Senate hearing that one of them took bribes from Alice Guo, and even helped facilitate her short-lived escape.
In a statement, the group that calls itself the “Council of Chiefs” said Villanueva’s allegation “maligns and brings dishonor to all of us, former Chiefs, who have dedicated the best years of our lives in the service of the Filipino nation.”
“Although we are now retired, we continuously uphold our integrity to the highest standards and our solemn pledge to serve and protect our country and people,” they emphasized.
The group urged the former chief of the Communications, Electronics and Information Systems Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to identify the corrupt national police chief or apologize if he is unable to substantiate his accusation.
Meanwhile, the current PNP leadership is also not letting Villanueva off the hook without naming the supposedly rogue PNP chief.
PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said Sunday that Criminal Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) personnel will meet with Villanueva, who heads security and monitoring at the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), this week regarding his expose.
“Arrangements have already been made between the CIDG and PAGCOR, particularly General Villanueva. I understand there will be a meeting this week,” she disclosed over Super Radyo dzBB.
“Whatever the outcome of this meeting, we will be transparent about it,” she said in a mixture of Filipino and English.
Meanwhile, Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop fired back at Senator Ronald dela Rosa, urging him to “stop hiding behind Vice President Sara Duterte’s skirt” and confront the allegations on his role as the chief enforcer of the war on drugs under the Duterte administration.
He dismissed as “baseless” Dela Rosa’s claims that the testimony of former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog before the House Quad Committee was part of a “demolition job” targeting the Vice President and her allies ahead of the 2028 elections.
“There’s no demolition job here — only legitimate questions that need clear answers. Senator Dela Rosa should be man enough to face the facts and take responsibility, instead of hiding behind VP Sara’s skirt,” he said.
He underscored that the hearings aimed to uncover the truth behind the extrajudicial killings linked to Duterte’s drug war and its connections to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators and the drug trade.
He maintained that there was no political maneuvering involved, citing the significance of Former Iloilo Mayor Jed Mabilog’s testimony in the probe.
“Former Mayor Mabilog’s testimony is crucial. Our goal is to craft laws that will put an end to these crimes — not to play political games,” Acop emphasized.
He claimed that he and his family received threats after former President Rodrigo Duterte falsely branded him a protector of the drug trade.
“The job of the committee is to investigate and make laws to stop these crimes. We don’t care about the 2028 election — what matters is justice for the victims,” Acop said.
For his part, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. rejected Dela Rosa’s claims, stressing that the investigation is focused on uncovering hidden criminal networks and holding those responsible accountable.
“Senator Dela Rosa’s claims of demolition job and fishing expedition are far from the truth. Our committee is committed to addressing systemic problems, and this investigation is about holding those responsible accountable — not playing politics,” he said.
Abante also revealed in a separate radio interview that it was former PNP chief Camilo Cascolan who warned former Mabilog not to come home from Japan as his life was in danger.
Cascolan supposedly warned Mabilog that if he came home, he would be coerced to tag former Senators Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon as being “drug lords.”
Editor’s Note: An earlier edition of this story identified retired Brigadier General Raul Villanueva as former chief of the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP). This error has been corrected.
