An officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP) claimed before a House hearing late Wednesday that the PNP is the “biggest crime group” in the country, which caused criticism from a former national police chief and dismay from the police force.

Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido made this declaration during a House Quad Committee hearing on the alleged extrajudicial killings that occurred during the Duterte administration’s drug war.

“From my experience, I can say that the PNP is the biggest crime group in the country,” Espenido said, reading a part of the affidavit he submitted to the House.

Espenido earlier told House lawmakers that as the former police chief of Albuera town in Leyte, he was ordered by then PNP chief and now Senator Ronald Dela Rosa to neutralize drug personalities in the province.

He said that he would report directly to Dela Rosa and former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Espenido also said he had dismantled illegal drug groups under suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

In a statement released Thursday, the PNP said it was ''surprised and saddened'' by Espenido’s declaration.

“We were surprised and saddened at the same time that a member of the PNP will say that the biggest crime group is the PNP,'' said Col. Jean Fajardo, the national police spokesperson.

''He will have to answer for his claims,'' added Fajardo.

“We acknowledge that a small percentage of individuals may stray from the right path, but they do not represent the majority of our dedicated and honorable police officers,” a PNP statement added.

In an interview with reporters, Dela Rosa denied this accusation.

“What’s wrong if you neutralize drugs? You have to neutralize the drug problem. Did I tell him to kill the person? I did not tell them to kill the person,” Dela Rosa said.

He stressed that he told Espenido to use “all the legal means” to stop the drug problem in his area.

The PNP said that its internal disciplinary mechanisms have led to the suspension or dismissal of cops who were involved in illegal activities or were not following the proper protocols.

In a press conference, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. said he is looking at the context of Espenido’s statement and that the Marcos administration was doing its best to cleanse the ranks of the PNP.

“ I think there are 58 cases pending before the Napolcom (National Police Commission) and some were already summarily dismissed from office,” he added.

In January 2023, Abalos called on colonels and generals to submit courtesy resignations to weed out police officials involved in illegal drug activities. Jaspearl Tan/DMS