EDITORIAL - Conduct unbecoming

Section 7(d) of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, prohibits public servants from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, “any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”

Deciding which gifts or favors are covered by the prohibition may be tricky when it comes to members of the police force, whose principal task is to keep the public safe. When there’s a gray area, however, it is prudent to err on the side of caution, especially when you’re the chief of the Philippine National Police under the daang matuwid administration.

Facing the Senate the other day, PNP chief Alan Purisima defended his acceptance of P11 million from private suppliers for the construction of his official residence. The “donations” were made in 2013 but the deed of donation was signed only last Sept. 3. He also saw nothing improper in accepting a whopping discount when he bought a Toyota Prado SUV worth P4 million for only P1.5 million from a car dealer in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Yesterday Malacañang continued to stand by Purisima, who gave his performance as PNP chief a near-perfect rating of 9 when he faced the Senate. President Aquino, known to value loyalty, has given no indication that he may be losing confidence in his top cop, who was among his bodyguards when rebel soldiers attacked his convoy and killed one of his security aides during the August 1987 coup when his mother Corazon was president.

Surely, however, the President who banned the use of wang-wang or sirens for VIPs and who has made the fight against corruption a cornerstone of his administration must sense something amiss in the conduct of his favorite cop. This is apart from a surge in criminality, with many involving policemen. Officials of daang matuwid are expected to lead by example. The example of the PNP chief can’t possibly be what the President has in mind.