Magalong warns ‘hell will break loose’ after getting death threats

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY —Mayor Benjamin Magalong warned Thursday “hell will break loose” on those who want to silence him as he revealed he was receiving death threats following his revelations on “ninja cops” during Senate probe on involvement of police in recycling of illegal drugs.

“Just make sure that if you want to kill me, make sure I won’t survive because otherwise all hell will break loose,” Magalong remarked during an interview with CNN Philippines.

Magalong, former chief of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), had accused Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde of intervening in the case of police officers under his command who were implicated in a scheme of recycling seized illegal drugs when he was Pampanga police director.

Without going into details, Magalong said he has been receiving death threats after he revealed the names of the so-called ninja cops who are being protected by their superiors.

Magalong admitted he is worried about his safety and that of his family, adding he is considering beefing up his security detail.

Despite the risks, the retired police official said he would still reveal what he knew about corruption in the PNP all over again.

“It’s a fight between good and evil, wrong and right,” he said.

While admitting he does not have hard evidence to directly link Albayalde to the scheme, Magalong said the circumstances would show the PNP chief was aware of the illegal activities of his men.

“You knew what really happened and what are you doing about it,” Magalong said, referring to Albayalde.

Security was enhanced at City Hall starting Oct. 3 due to the death threats reportedly being received by Mayor Magalong as a result of his testimony on police involvement in drug reselling scheme at the Senate hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) of the Bureau of Corrections. 

                 City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Pena said this is a precautionary measure to prevent any spillover effect of the threats on the chief executive.

“As the mayor himself disclosed, a lot of people are now threatening his life and it may also have an effect on our institution he being the mayor.  That’s why as our response, we deemed it best to also adopt some measures to secure our place of work, our employees and the public,” Dela Pena said.

He said the Interlink Security Agency which is manning the City Hall and premises immediately responded by imposing security checks among those entering the building.

They also limited the entry and exit points to just three and added canine security.

“The threat may or may not happen at all.  But at the end of the day, it is the people’s protection that we are concerned here and that is what we are prioritizing with this move,” Dela Pena said.

“We beg for the public’s understanding on these current security changes which are for the benefit of all of us.”