Ombudsman suspends PNP chief Purisima

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered the preventive suspension of Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima and several other police officers in connection with the alleged anomalous gun license delivery deal with a private company in 2011.

In a televised press briefing, Assistant Rafanan said Purisima was ordered suspended for the PNP's allegedly anomalous courier service contract with WERFAST Documentary Agency in 2011.

Also suspended were Director Gil Meneses, former chief of the PNP Civil Security Group (CSG), former officials of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) identified Chief Superintendents Raul Petrasanta and Napoleon Estilles, Senior Superintendents Allan Parreno, Eduardo Acierto and Melchor Reyes; Superintendents Lenbell Fabia; Chief Inspectors Sonia Calixto, Nelson Bautista and Ricardo Zapata.

The Fact-Finding Investigation Bureau of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices earlier charged Purisima with gross negligence and gross neglect of duty.

The Ombudsman probed Purisima following an anonymous complaint alleging that Purisima and other PNP officials siphoned funds from the mandatory delivery fees paid by gun owners in securing their gun licenses, with the PNP entering into a memorandum of agreement with WERFAST for courier services in the delivery of firearms license cards.

The agreement was a result of "Oplan Katok" aimed at creating a more effective system of monitoring legitimate gun owners.

Records showed that Meneses approved the accreditation of WERFAST before the company had undergone any accreditation from the FEO Accreditation Committee.

Despite this, Purisima approved the memorandum issued by Meneses recommending the implementation of the delivery of approved firearms license cards to the accredited courier service provider. -with Dennis Carcamo