PNP chief Purisima remains motivated despite recent challenges

PNP Director General Alan Purisima

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine National Police chief, Director General Alan Purisima, said Monday he saw the recent challenges to his leadership as “blessing” for the organization.

Speaking to reporters, Purisima said he considered it as such as it motivated the implementation of necessary changes within the PNP.

“Mas ang tingin ko dito mas more of a blessing kasi dito nagkakaroon tayo ng dahilan para ayusin natin ang problema ng Philippine National Police (I see it as a blessing because with this we have reason to solve the problems in the National Police),” the PNP chief said.

The PNP chief was answering to questions on how he is taking the recent challenges to the state police, particularly the infamous Atimonan, Quezon and Batangas shooting incidents.

Purisima said it also gave PNP the chance to look into things that “has never been checked before.”

“ . . . ang hangarin natin [ay] ayusin natin ang kapulisan . . . kung hindi po mangyayari ang mga ganitong insidente, mas mahihirapan tayo mag implement ng mga changes,” Purisima said.

He also said these incidents have probably moved PNP to clean its ranks of officers who are tagged in illegal activities, but added that despite this, PNP’s morale was not affected.

“In the overall assessment of the Philippine National Police, they are not at all affected by that incident. They continue doing their jobs,” he said.

In another development, Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II announced the relief of all Calabarzon police officers involved in the Batangas shooting incident, including its regional director, Chief Superintendent James Melad.

Aside from Melad, others who were relieved were Superintendent Rosauro Acio, the Batangas provincial police director; Superintendent Raul Tacaca, head of the SWAT unit of the Batangas police public safety company; Superintendent Elpidio Ramirez, chief of the San Juan municipal police station; and Chief Inspector Rodolfo Ama, also of the San Juan police.

The leader of the police team during the Atimonan incident, Superintendent Hansel Marantan, deputy chief of intelligence of the Calabarzon police, was hit in the hands and foot. He has been advised to submit himself to the investigation process as well.

For his part, newly appointed Calabarzon director, Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona said he wanted to lead the region to start anew and move on from the incident, but with assurance that they will fully support and cooperate with the investigation.

“[We] put these incidents behind us. In the meantime, we will fully support and cooperate with the investigation . . . We will rise up, pick up the pieces, and start anew…, we have a lot of work to do, elections are forth coming,” Estipona said.

He said Region IV-A officers are good, just that they were “overshadowed” by the latest incidents.

“We should from the experience,” Estipona said.