Alan Purisima ‘supporter’ admits getting paid to join rally
“Kabataan Kontra Korupsyon”gathers to support the PNP and its chief while carrying bright colored cartolinas and manila papers with the message “Bravo Police Stop Crime” written on their signs. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS
MANILA, Philippines—While some rallyists outside Camp Crame called for the jailing of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima, a group, composed mostly of teenagers, picketed side by side with the anti-Purisima protesters.
Around 15 members of “Kabataan Kontra Korupsyon” gathered to support the PNP and its chief while carrying bright colored cartolinas and manila papers with the message “Bravo Police Stop Crime” written on their signs.
Robert Santos, People’s Coalition for Peace member, told reporters that they support and trust the embattled PNP chief as well as the entire PNP leadership and forces.
“Kami po ay naniniwala sa kredibilidad at sa performance ng PNP. Kaya andito kami upang ipakita na kami ay naniniwalang kaya nila,” Santos said.
(We believe in the credibility and performance of the PNP. We’re here because we want to show that we believe they can (serve and protect).)
But when one of the pro-Purisima rallyists named Virginia Nolasco was asked, she said most of them were paid P100 to join the rally.
Nolasco and others who are mostly residents of Makati said Santos asked them to participate in the protest in Crame.
INQUIRER.net asked a 20-year-old man carrying a neon green cartolina but refused to be identified on how he would assess the police’s performance amid the issues the PNP is facing.
The man answered: “Hindi ko alam eh. Sinama lang ako dito.”
(I don’t know. I just tagged along.)
But Santos denied that the rallyists were paid, and said: “Maybe some of them are just afraid to speak.”
“There were no payoffs. All of us voluntarily came here. All of us believe in the leadership of General Purisima,” he said in Filipino.
PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor said the PNP thanks the supporters but maintained that the organization has nothing to do with the alleged payoffs to them.
“May kalayaan naman sila para maglabas ng hinaing whether sumusuporta sila or hindi (They have the freedom to express their views, whether they support (Purisima) or not), ” he said.
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