Palace defends Purisima

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang defended yesterday Philippine National Police Deputy Director General Alan Purisima from criticisms as well as the decision of Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to announce his impending appointment as the next PNP chief.

Purisima, for his part, thanked President Aquino for his trust and confidence in him and vowed to improve the police service in the country.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it was not true that the crime rate increased during Purisima’s stint as National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief and neither did carjacking involving the Dominguez brothers flourish when he was assigned in Central Luzon.

He said it just so happened that Purisima changed the manner of reporting crime to include everything on the blotter because he wanted statistics to be exact.

Lacierda said this was actually considered as one of the reforms done by Purisima - to take the crime rate down to the blotter - “and that’s not due to inactivity of the police but more on reporting accurately the statistics.”

He said the criticisms against the incoming PNP chief regarding the Dominguez brothers were hazy but “we are confident” in his qualifications and capability to head the PNP.

Lacierda said they would have to consider not only the criticisms but also the accomplishments of Purisima, though he declined to elaborate.

Asked if Roxas preempted the President, Lacierda said there was no reason to think that way since the interior secretary had discussed the matter with Aquino.

Lacierda said there were just details being ironed out in connection with the non-duty status of current PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome.

“Secretary Mar Roxas has informed us that his recommendee to the position of the next PNP chief will be General Purisima. But the details of that, we will have to thresh out as to, for instance, what is the interplay between the non-duty status of General Bartolome and also the role of General Purisima. So those are details we have yet to discuss and those will be provided by Secretary Roxas,” Lacierda said.

He added that the President and Bartolome had spoken several times regarding the matter.

A new PNP

Purisima, meanwhile, said that he would work doubly hard in introducing organizational reforms and projects and programs to instill discipline within the PNP.

He said the PNP, under his watch, would be the police of the community and not of interested groups to the detriment of the public.

He said he would inform President Aquino of the real situation on the ground and not paint a rosy picture jus for the sake of it. -- Non Alquitran