Nothing suspicious with Delfin Lee captor’s transfer – Palace
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang sees nothing suspicious about the transfer of Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa to Cebu even after the task force he headed led the arrest of real estate magnate Delfin Lee.
“Given that they should already be communicating with Colonel Capa, we hope that really this will be put to rest. As to the timing… I would not see anything behind the Chief PNP’s decision,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a televised briefing on Friday
She reiterated that the transfer was supposed to be for Capa’s promotion, echoing the sentiments of Police Chief, Director General Alan Purisima about Capa.
Valte said she talked with information chief Chief Superintendent Ruben Sindac who told her the promotion was intended as a “surprise” before Capa’s relief was announced to the media.
“It was supposed to be a surprise but because of recent events that they had to say that yes, something was, indeed, in the works … and then for his eventual transfer,” Valte said.
Capa blew his top on Thursday when he was informed that he would be relieved from his post as Philippine National Police Task Force Tugis chief.
He found out after Purisima announced to the media before noon that he was relieved from his post.
It turned out Capa was relieved only to be transferred to Central Visayas Police Regional Office 7 as this would serve as a “stepping stone” to becoming a one-star general or a Chief Superintendent, Purisima had explained.
Capa’s reassignment would qualify him to become the Deputy Regional Director for Administration.
Capa later became thankful over the promotion, and was told to refuse interviews from reporters.
Capa’s task force led the arrest of Lee, who faces syndicated estafa charges for allegedly using fictitious members of Pag-Ibig Fund, or Home Development Mutual Fund, to defraud the agency of P7 billion in housing loans to be used in GlobeAsiatique’s projects in Bacolor and Mabalacat towns in Pampanga from 2008 to 2011.
Lee, owner of property developer GlobeAsiatique Realty Holdings Corp., is the first of the country’s top five fugitives to be arrested.
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