Purisima misses another Senate hearing

Director General Alan Purisima. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The beleaguered chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Director General Alan Purisima, was a no-show again at a budget hearing in the Senate on Wednesday.

The PNP is one of the attached agencies of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), whose proposed budget for 2015 was up for deliberations by the Senate committee on finance.

While DILG Secretary Mar Roxas was present at the hearing, Purisima was notably absent when the committee being headed by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero started the proceeding at around 9:00 a.m.

Escudero said the committee was in receipt of a letter signed by Police Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas informing the body of Purisima’s “inability” to attend the hearing.

“May we know the convention or meeting attended by Gen. Purisima given that invitations were received as early as August 6?” Escudero asked.

“Mr. Chairman, Police Director General Alan Purisima is attending the anti-kidnapping and anti- extortion senior leadership consultation in Bogota, Colombia and this consultation is organized by the US Department,” Rojas said.

Purisima was also absent during last week’s hearing in the Senate on the rising criminality in the country.

His absence last week angered Senators Grace Poe and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

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