PNP: Nothing wrong with 'White House' construction

MANILA,  Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said that the construction of the controversial "White House" inside the police camp is above board.

 

“The construction project for the PNP White House or the official residence of the chief of PNP is aboveboard. It is not a real property given to Police Director General Alan La Madrid Purisima, the incumbent PNP chief, as a person but a tangible asset of the PNP that will be issued to future PNP chiefs.” PNP publicist Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said.

 

The donors’ privacy and security issues had to be seriously considered so that their identity could not be immediately revealed, he added.

 

Sindac said the White House was undertaken through a “design and build” project in line with the donors’ corporate social responsibility. It was borne out of the need to replace the old “White House” which was badly damaged by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.

 

Based on the flood assessment by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) dated Feb. 27, 2013, due to camp's topography and surrounding roads, the rain always flows toward the northeastern portion of Crame where the house is located.

 

The area also serves as the catch basin of Edsa and Col. Bonny Serrano Avenue that causes flood during times of heavy rain.

 

“There was no urgency at the start, but due to the controversies that were raised, we had to expedite the processing of the Deed of Donation to comply with the auditing requirements," Sindac said.

 

The deed of donation was signed and executed after full completion of the chief PNP quarters’ finishing touches and architectural improvements, and was largely dependent on the availability of donors.

 

“A Deed of Donation can only be executed once the structure is completed," Sindac added.