Ombudsman: Purisima may be liable for usurpation

MANILA, Philippines - Resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima may be charged with usurpation of authority if indeed he called the shots in the bloody operation in Mamasapano last month, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said yesterday.

Morales said Purisima could not invoke his position as PNP chief since he is under preventive suspension.

She said the Office of the Ombudsman could also run after Purisima as a police officer administratively though he resigned as chief of the national police.

“He just resigned as PNP chief and not from the service. We can still run after him administratively. Even as he is resigned, to jump the gun so to speak, the criminal charge is usurpation of authority,” Morales told the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) annual business conference.

Purisima was ordered suspended by the ombudsman last December in connection with a bungled firearms contract.

No less than President Aquino confirmed before national television last week that Purisima indeed coordinated with him on the operation of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25 in the capture of Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his Filipino cohort Abdul Basit Usman.

Aquino admitted Purisima had been on top of the planning and operation before his suspension in December.

A total of 44 policemen died in the firefight with separatist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Morales said the ombudsman is also conducting its own investigation on allegations Purisima sanctioned the operation by remote control.

“The ombudsman constituted a panel to conduct the investigation… we don’t have to wait for the findings of other agencies,” Morales said.

Morales noted Purisima had claimed he merely gave advice, not an order, to launch the operation.