Let justice take its course with Purisima–Palace

By: Nikko Dizon - 10 years ago

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Saturday said it would let the “process take its proper course” with regard to the investigation being conducted by the Ombudsman into the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima, whom President Benigno Aquino III has staunchly defended.

Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

“I think the Office of the Ombudsman is already investigating the charges, as such… you should let the process take its proper course,” presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

A citizens group called Coalition of Filipino Consumers filed plunder and graft charges against Purisima last month in the Office of the Ombudsman.

They questioned the renovation of the PNP chief’s official residence at Camp Crame in Quezon City allegedly for P25 million, with the money coming from private donors. Purisima has said the cost was only P11 million.

The group also contested the declaration by Purisima in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) that a house and property he acquired in Nueva Ecija in 2002 was worth only P1.2 million.

The complainants described the house as a “mansion” worth much more than what the top police official had declared.

But President Aquino continued to defend Purisima.

In Bali, Indonesia, where he cochaired a democracy forum, Mr. Aquino said the fact that Purisima opened his Nueva Ecija property to the media showed that he had nothing to hide.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, however, expressed the belief that Purisima had violated the law when he accepted donations from private individuals for the construction of his official residence called the “White House” inside Crame.

With apparent sarcasm, Santiago suggested that Mr. Aquino appoint Purisima to a position in the Department of the Interior and Local Government or National Defense just to get him out of the PNP.

As for similar corruption allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay, Valte was asked if the Palace believed former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado was a credible witness.

Valte said that determining a witness’ credibility fell to the judge hearing the case.

In the case of Binay, there were also senators doing their own investigation, Valte said.

“Everybody will have a different opinion on that [Mercado as witness]. But essentially the judgment on who is a credible witness ultimately would fall on the judge or the presiding justice,” she said.

The Inquirer on Saturday ran a special report on how Makati City government officials allegedly partook of P4 billion in kickbacks from 10 infrastructure projects when Binay was the city mayor.

Mercado served as Binay’s vice mayor until the two had a falling out in 2010.