CA upholds Purisima's dismissal from service

MANILA, Philippines —  The Court of Appeals has ruled with finality to uphold former Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima's dismissal from office.

The appellate court’s Special 16th Division affirmed the dismissal order by the Office of the Ombudsman in June 2015 and thereby ruled to junk Purisima’s petition for review.

In its ruling dated May 12, 2017, the CA said Purisima was “complicit in making it appear that Werfast Documentation Agency Inc. is a qualified courier service provider of PNP and that its appointment as the sole courier service provider of PNP is relation to applications/renewal of firearm licenses proceeded in accordance with the law, rules and regulations.”

It added that Purisima tolerated the irregularities “and allowed it to wreak havoc on the delivery of services to the public.”

The 37-page decision was signed by CA Associate Justice Ramon Cruz.

In June 2016, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered on the dismissal of Purisima and ten other officials over an anomalous courier deal.

The Ombudsman said that it has found probable cause to hold PNP officials liable for "grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and grave abuse of authority" for their involvement in the questionable courier service with Werfast Documentary Agency in 2011."

The case stemmed from two separate complaints filed in 2014 before the Office of the Ombudsman alleging that the PNP entered an agreement with Werfast for a courier delivery service for the renewal of firearms licenses to the PNP. It added that the contract with Werfast was approved "without procurement, accreditation and qualification."

Other officials who were also ordered to be sack from service are PNP Firearms and Explosives Office officials Chief Superintendents Raul Petrasanta and Napoleon Estilles, Senior Superintendents Allan Parreño, Eduardo Acierto and Melchor Reyes.

It also ordered dismissal of  Superintendent Lenbell Fabia, Chief Inspectors Sonia Calixto, Nelson Bautista and Ricardo Zapanta Jr. and Senior Inspector Ford Tuazon from office.

The CA earlier ordered the reinstatement of Petrasanta, Bautista, Zapata, Acierto and Parreño.

Prior to the Ombudsman's ruling, Purisima was ordered arrested on charges of graft for the same courier deal in May 2016.