Police Col. Jovie Espenido, former police chief of Albuera, Leyte, appears on August 28, 2024 before the House of Representatives' quad committee investigating alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, among others. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday expressed its "deep concern and sadness" after one of its own cops called the institution the "biggest crime group in the country" during a congressional hearing the previous day.

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During Wednesday's hearing of the House quad committee, Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, who led some of the most high-profile drug war killings during the Duterte administration, said "from my experience I can say that the PNP is the biggest crime group in the country."

In a statement, the PNP said Espenido's pronouncement was a slap in the face of police officers who "have sworn to serve and protect the Filipino people."

"Such a statement casts a shadow over the integrity and dedication of countless men and women in uniform... The PNP is a unified organization, and no one can truly love and protect it more than those of us who serve within it," the statement read.

The PNP admitted that "a small percentage" of cops "may stray from the right path" but maintained that it has "existing internal disciplinary mechanisms" to address such cases.

"This is evidence that the PNP leadership consistently upholds what is right and strives to provide the best possible service to the nation, setting an example for others to follow," the PNP said.

The House quad committee is investigating alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, the crimes linked to illegal drugs, as well as in POGOs.

During the hearing, Espenido detailed some of the alleged abuses he witnessed during former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. 

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The PNP said under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s directive, it has committed to follow a different approach in its campaign against illegal drugs.

"We remain committed to our continuing reforms that strengthen our institution, and this include strict adherence to the President’s call for a holistic approach to combating illegal drugs, with a strong emphasis on the preservation of human life," the PNP said.

The International Criminal Court is investigating alleged human rights abuses during Duterte's bloody war on drugs, which rights groups said have killed thousands of alleged drug addicts.

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