Philippine national police chief steps down amidst drug scandal
Philippine national police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde resigned on October 14 after he faced allegations in a Senate hearing that he intervened to prevent his officers from being prosecuted for allegedly selling a huge amount of illegal drugs they had seized.
Oscar Albayalde, the head of the Philippine National Police, has resigned amid a drugs scandal. (Source: )
Hanoi (VNA) - Philippine national police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde resigned on October14 after he faced allegations in a Senate hearing that he intervened to preventhis officers from being prosecuted for allegedly selling a huge amount ofillegal drugs they had seized.
Albayalde said hisdecision was accepted by Secretary of the Interior and Local Government EduardoAno over the weekend but he insisted on his innocence. The police chiefstressed that he has never been criminally or administratively charged for thealleged irregularity.
Albayalde, 55, steppeddown just a few weeks before his scheduled retirement on November 8.
Albayalde once headedthe police force in Pampanga province north of Manila when 13 of his officersseized a large amount of methamphetamine, a powerful and prohibited stimulant,in a raid. The officers later faced allegations that they presented a small volumeof the seized drugs, then hid and sold the rest, with suspicions being fueledwhen they purchased pricey SUVs not long after.
However, he pointedout that state prosecutors cleared the officers of criminal complaints they hadfaced for the alleged offenses.
Albayalde said theallegations against him may have been an offshoot of jockeying for the toppolice post that he would vacate if he has stayed in his post until hisretirement.
But two police officials testified in Senate hearings that Albayalde did not take adequate actions tohave his men be criminally prosecuted.
One of the two officials,Aaron Aquino, who now heads the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, testifiedthat Albayalde called him then to inquire about the status of the cases againsthis officers.
Albayaldeacknowledged that as a result of the 2013 incident, he was transferred to aregional police force without being given any specific assignment or post.Several months after, however, he was appointed as metropolitan Manila policechief and as national police chief in April 2018./.
The Philippines has gained from the trade war between the US and China, according to a review of export data of the country in the first seven months of 2019 by Maybank Kim Eng analysts.
Philippines immigration agents, backed by troops, have arrested 324 Chinese nationals for alleged cybercrimes during a raid in Puerto Princesa City on Palawan island, according to the Bureau of Immigration.
Spokesperson of the Philippine President Salvador Panelo said on September 20 that President Rodrigo Duterte has named Lieutenant General Noel Clement as new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The Philippines on September 20 began a campaign to vaccinate millions of children against polio after the disease made a return to the country after nearly two decades.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
Oscar Albayalde, the head of the Philippine National Police, has resigned amid a drugs scandal. (Source: ) 
