Capa: Ready to tell all in Lee case

Senior Supt. Conrad Capa: Ready to tell all.  INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The next time they meet, it might be in a full-blown Senate inquiry shown live on national television.

Senior Supt. Conrad Capa has been readying himself for a possible face-off with his boss, Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima, in a Senate investigation into the recent arrest of fugitive real estate magnate Delfin Lee.

Purisima has drawn flak on social media for ordering Capa’s relief as head of Task Force Tugis exactly a week after the group captured Lee, the alleged brains of a P7-billion housing scam.

Capa had openly expressed his surprise and anger at his sudden deployment as deputy regional chief for operations of the Cebu regional police office. Purisima claimed the move was a “promotion.”

Capa, who hosted a boodle fight for his subordinates on Monday night outside his office at Camp Crame, said he was ready to “tell all” about the controversy surrounding Lee’s arrest on March 6.

Sen. Nancy Binay has filed a Senate resolution to look into the supposed removal of Lee’s name from the PNP’s list of wanted persons.

“The minute I lay my hand on that Bible to take my oath, I will not tell a lie. I’m ready to tell what I know,” the embattled PNP official told the Inquirer.

Realities of the service

“These are the realities of the service. This happens to some officers once in a while. It’s just unfortunate this happened to me,” Capa said.

“I didn’t see this coming. I was shocked when I read the (relief) order. But I’m OK now. I’m going to Cebu with a light heart,” he added.

Asked if he and Purisima had already told all about what really transpired at Camp Crame on the night of Lee’s arrest, he said: “It could be taken up during the Senate investigation.”

After Vice President Jejomar Binay reported that an “influential individual” had tried to block Lee’s arrest, Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali, an official of the ruling Liberal Party, came forward and admitted that he called up Purisima to inquire about the validity of Lee’s arrest.

Capa was Purisima’s chief intelligence officer when the PNP chief served as regional director of the Central Luzon and National Capital Region police offices from 2010 to 2013.

“I’m so sad it has to come to this because we have a personal relationship. He was my direct boss for so long. I still respect and admire him. In God’s time, we will be more than friends again,” he said.

Purisima has refused to be drawn into a verbal tussle with his subordinate, declining to comment on the accusations hurled by Capa.