Palace also waiting for PNP chief Purisima to explain

PNP Director General Alan Purisima. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang like the public, is waiting for Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima to address the corruption allegations against him.

“Right now, everyone is just waiting for the PNP chief to come home so he can personally address the allegations,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Purisima is expected to return soon from Bogota, Colombia, where he and other local police officers attended an antikidnapping leadership conference.

President Aquino also wants to study the charges against Purisima, who is facing growing calls to take a leave or even resign ahead of his retirement, said Valte.

She said the President was interested in learning the details of the complaint against Purisima that had been filed in the Ombudsman.

“Knowing how the President is, he really would want to look at the details so he can see the weight or the lightness of the allegations that have been made, and to see what evidence backs up the supposed allegations,” Valte said.

Panfilo Lacson, the presidential assistant on rehabilitation and a former PNP chief himself, has also urged Purisima to resign to spare Mr. Aquino from the “bad press.” Sen. Grace Poe earlier said Purisima should go on leave.

Valte said she wasn’t aware if Lacson had personally conveyed his call for Purisima’s resignation to the President, who arrived late Thursday from a working visit to the United States and Europe.

“So far, the President has not given us any indication, either way, regarding the statement of Secretary Lacson,” she said.

But she said that a meeting between Mr. Aquino and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who has jurisdiction over the PNP, was expected at anytime.

The Coalition of Filipino Consumers filed charges of plunder, graft and indirect bribery against Purisima over his alleged “hidden mansion” in Nueva Ecija and the renovation of the White House, his official residence at Camp Crame.

Meanwhile, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan III deplored that no action had been taken against Purisima even after charges of plunder, bribery and graft had been filed against him.

Alunan recalled that when he had headed the DILG during the Ramos administration, a police officer who became the subject of such complaints would have been told to go on leave pending the investigation of the allegations against him.

“I am wondering if anybody is ‘home,’ since no action has been taken,” he said. “The general public is upset because no one seems to be minding the store.”

Alunan said Mr. Aquino as commander in chief, and Roxas, as National Police Commission (Napolcom) chair, should initiate an investigation into Purisima’s alleged ill-gotten wealth, and audit his performance and leadership.

“Crime appears to be on the rise with sensational crimes involving active duty police officers. Yet, there seems to be no palpable action from the Napolcom to explain to the public what steps are being taken to clean house and professionalize the force,” he said. With reports from Carla P. Gomez and Carine Asutilla, Inquirer Visayas

 Originally posted: 11:23 pm | Saturday, September 27th, 2014

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