Police Chief Purisima may have violated several laws on accepting gifts

By Vencer Crisostomo as originally posted on PH police chief is a criminal ? at Blog Watch, Philippine Online Chronicles.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima has been under fire lately after the discrepancies were found in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN). Among the questions lodged at the PNP chief are inconsistencies regarding a property in Nueva Ecija and the renovation of the PNP White House.

An investigative report of Failon Ngayon revealed that many of the properties declared in his SALN are undervalued and some are undeclared or underreported. For instance, the reported value of a 4.7-hectare property Nueva Ecija was only P3.7 million.

A 4-hectare property in Cabanatuan City declared under the name of his son was also questioned, where a poultry and agricultural equipment, which could easily cost millions of pesos, now stand.

The SALN also lacked details like exact addresses, size and location details of properties.

The Civil Service Commission, which released Purisima’s SALN after repeated requests from various organizations, said Purisima’s SALN now clearly indicated problems.

It could be remembered that the Aquino administration had former Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached for violations regarding SALN.

The PNP chief is also being questioned for the repair and upgrade of the PNP White House, which reportedly cost P12 million. The White House serves as the residence of the PNP chief.

In a Senate hearing, Purisima defended allegations against him and called his Nueva Ecija property an “ordinary house.”

“I’m not turning my back on my sworn duty. I will not let evil triumph. I will continue my service to the nation,” he told the committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Grace Poe.

Purisima meanwhile said the funds used for the construction of the White House were “donations.” The donors for the renovation were found to have been awarded various contracts in the government worth billions of pesos.

PhilGEPS data, culled by GMA News Research, showed that Pacific Concrete Corp. had won multiple contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

The total amount awarded to Pacific Concrete Corp. was listed at P593 million with some contracts dating back to 2009.

Meanwhile, Davao-based Ulticon Builders had bagged a total of P3.3 billion in contracts from the DPWH and the local government of Bukidnon since 2011, according to PhilGEPS.”

Previously, Purisima also figured in a controversial deal with the PNP firearms and explosives office (FEO).

Newsbreak report said Purisima violated several laws on accepting gifts:

  1. Articles 210-212 of the Revised Penal Code
  2.  Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act)
  3.  Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees)
  4.  Presidential Decree 46 (Making it Punishable for Public Officials and Employees to Receive, and for Private Persons to Give, Gifts on Any Occasion, including Christmas)

Graft and plunder complaints have now been lodged against Purisima. Despite clear violations and questionable acts, Aquino stood up to defend Purisima who is known to have close ties with the president’s family. 

Bayan’s Teddy Casino said Malacanang should stop coddling Purisima.

President Aquino’s continued defense of his pal PNP Chief Alan Purisima is a serious obstacle to a serious and thoroughgoing investigation on Purisima’s unexplained wealth and other alleged acts of corruption. The revelations about Purisima’s millions worth of undeclared or underreported properties, plus the controversy over the “White House Mansion” donated by his contractor-friends, brings to light many similar practices of PNP officials who use their positions of power to unjustly and illegally enrich themselves at the expense of their sworn duties. If the President is truly serious in getting to the truth and holding wrongdoers to account, he should immediately relieve Purisima of his position and order him to at least take a leave of absence to allow the proper authorities to establish the facts and pursue the appropriate charges against the PNP chief. But by prematurely exonerating Purisima and coming to his defense, the President once again sends the message that Aquino loyalists are protected at all cost from being held accountable for their wrongdoings.

Aquino’s coddling of Purisima is indeed further proof of the Kabarkada, Kaklase, Kabarilan rule in the “tuwid na daan” government.

Recently, many have been pointing out of rising criminality. The Purisima scandal have now prompted many to ask: “Magtataka pa ba tayo e sinungaling at kriminal ang hepe ng pulis?”

 Photo of Purisima from pnp.gov.ph. Meme from Renato Reyes. Some rights reserved.