PNP chief Alan Purisima won’t resign

By: Maila Ager - 10 years ago

MANILA, Philippines – Amid resignation calls, Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima told a Senate hearing on Tuesday that he would not turn his back on his sworn duty to serve the country and said he wasn’t surprised at efforts to force him to do so.

“Hindi na tayo nagulat na sadya tayong sinisiraan para mapilitan tayong talikuran ang paglilingkod sa bayan,” Purisima said in his opening statement when he faced the committee on public order and danger.
(We are no longer surprised that there are people who are trying to destroy us to force us to turn our backs from serving our country.)

“Hinding-hindi po ako tatalikod sa aking sinumpaang tungkulin. Hindi po ako papayag na manalo ang katiwalian, Ipagpapatuloy ko po ang paglilingkod sa bayan…” he added.

(I will never turn my back on my sworn duty. I will not allow corruption to win. I will continue to serve my country.)

Purisima, who has been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly amassing ill-gotten wealth, lamented that his efforts to cleanse the national police were met with “doubts.”

He then blamed those affected by the reforms being implemented at the Philippine National Police as those behind attempts to pin him down.

“Sa ating pagpapatupad ng reporma, madalas nating nakakabangga ang mga puspusang humahadlang sa pagbabago. Ang nais nila magpatuloy ang tiwaling sistema kung saan ang mismong proseso at patakaran ng kapulisan ang kanilang nagagamit para pakapalin ang kanilang bulsa,” said the PNP chief.

(In our implementation of reforms, we often run into those who are trying to prevent change. What they would like is for the corrupt system to continue in which they use the very system of the law to enrich themselves.)

He also lamented that even his businesses and a house that he had legitimately acquired were allegedly being targeted by his detractors.

Before this, Purisima apologized to the committee headed by Senator Grace Poe for his failure to attend its hearing last September 16.

“I’d like to apologize to the honorable chairperson and to the honorable committee for my absence during the first public hearing,” he said, adding that it was not his intention to give the committee an impression that he did not want to cooperate with its proceeding.

Purisima and the Philippine National Police have been under fire over the alleged involvement of law enforcers in the recent spate of criminal activities, highlighted by the robbery-kidnapping along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) in early September.

Purisima himself has been accused of amassing illegal wealth.