Purisima back but Espina still police OIC

MANILA, Philippines - Two days after abruptly returning from his trip abroad, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima is not expected to report for work today.

The PNP chief maintained his detractors were behind the suspension order issued on him by the Office of the Ombudsman.

However, Purisima will not go on duty as chief PNP since he is considered  “on official trip abroad” until Wednesday.

Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina will remain the officer-in-charge of the PNP until then.

The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered Purisima and several other police officers suspended for six months in connection with the alleged anomalous gun license delivery deal with a private company in 2011.

Purisima, however, did not say whether he will abide by the six-month suspension.

“The order of the day is for all members of the national police force to carry on with their labors and continue with the operations of the PNP. Let us maintain our professionalism and high morale for the safety and protection of our countrymen,” Purisima said.

He expressed confidence that the investigation over the allegations would eventually vindicate him. 

Purisima stressed the contract between the PNP and gun license delivery with a private company was made before he was appointed PNP chief in December 2012.

“I welcome official investigations against me as the proper and acceptable venues for determining my accountabilities as a public servant,” Purisima said in a statement.

Sources revealed Purisima returned last Friday, cutting his trip short upon learning of the suspension order.

“Everybody (in the PNP) is mum about it as could be expected,” a police official said.

The information about Purisima’s return on Friday was confirmed by several other highly reliable sources.

Apart from Purisima, the ombudsman ordered the six-month suspension of PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) head Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta; Senior Superintendents Allan Parreno, Eduardo Acierto, Melchor Reyes, Lenbell Fabia; Superintendent Sonia Calixto; Chief Inspectors Nelson Bautista, Ricardo Zapata, and Senior Inspector Ford Tuazon.

They were ordered suspended for their alleged involvement in a supposedly questionable and overpriced gun license delivery deal with a private courier service company called Werfast Documentary Agency in 2011.

Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan said the PNP officials slapped with preventive suspension orders are facing criminal investigation for graft and other offenses.

Preventive suspension orders are issued by the Office of the Ombudsman not as a penalty but as a way to prevent respondents in an administrative case from using their positions to influence the probe or even tamper with documents or evidence.

Rafanan said the suspensions stemmed from the administrative complaints against Purisima that include grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.

The complaint alleged Purisima and other police 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. – With Delon Porcalla