Plunder complaint filed vs PNP chief, firearms office head over license delivery deal
PNP Director General Alan Purisima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — A complaint for plunder has been filed against Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima and Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, the head of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO), for their alleged involvement in a P100-million shady deal with a private courier service company.
In his complaint-affidavit filed before the Office of the Ombudsman on April 16, 2014, Glenn Gerard Ricafranca of Barangay Capantawan in Legazpi City, accused the two police officials of entering into an allegedly anomalous contract with Wer Fast Documentary Agency, Inc. (WERFAST) three years ago.
Ricafranca said WERFAST was issued a certificate of incorporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission only on August 10, 2011. This means the company had no juridical personality when it entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the PNP in May 2011 without any bidding.
In addition, he said WERFAST was not and has not become an authorized “Private Express and Messengerial/Courier Delivery Service” by the Department of Transportation and Communications to deliver mail/parcel to the public.
The complainant has further alleged that a certain Mario Juan, one of the courier agency’s incorporators, is a “kumpadre” of Purisima, while Enrique Valerio, who represented the PNP in the MOA, was a classmate and is a best friend of Purisima.
Retired Police Director Ireneio Bacolod, a high ranking officer of WERFAST used to head the PNP Civil Security Group, the unit which has administrative supervision over the FEO. Bacolod used to be the boss of Purisima, the complainant said.
Ricafranca said he learned about the anomaly when he decided to buy a handgun for protection on March 14, 2014 and inquired with the PNP about firearms license and registration.
He said that he was informed that the PNP has tapped WERFAST Documentary Agency to deliver gun license cards to licensees under a Memorandum of Agreement.
He said other applicants allegedly complained that it took up to three months before their gun licenses were delivered to them via LBC, not WERFAST.
Ricafranca said LBC charged only P90 per package while WERFAST charges P190 per package, or a difference of P100 which would unduly benefit WERFST by as much as P100 million based on one million gun owners in the country.
Last April 8, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order to the PNP to stop “utilizing any courier services for deliveries of approved firearms license cards.”
“It is clear that WERFAST was getting undue favors from the PNP under the leadership of respondent Dir. Gen. Purisima without regard for the expenses and inconvenience it will cause to every citizen who lawfully owns or will own firearms.”
Ricafranca also asked the Ombudsman to also charge Purisima with graft, grave abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming of government official, and violation of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
He said WERFAST continued to provide services despite complaints because of the close personal relation or connection it has with Purisima.
“Respondent Purisima even went as far as publicly defending WERFAST in one of his press conferences, notwithstanding the questionable capacity and existence of WERFAST, according to a report,” he added.
