PNP chief to seek TRO against 6-month suspension

Director General Alan Purisima. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Embattled Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima will be seeking a temporary restraining order against his six-month suspension over an alleged anomalous deal.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor told reporters in a briefing on Monday that Purisima would file his TRO bid accordingly before the Court of Appeals.

The Ombudsman has ordered Purisima’s suspension over his alleged P100-million contract with Werfast Documentation Agency, described as a spurious courier service. The suspension order also covered other PNP officials linked to the case.

Mayor explained that if Purisima’s bid for a TRO is granted, he would remain in his position as PNP chief. But the investigation on his involvement in alleged anomalies will continue.

“The best legal remedy is to avail of a TRO,” he added, referring to Purisima’s opposition to his suspension. Mayor added that the other PNP officials linked to the case will also seek legal remedies.

While Purisima was away on official travel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina took over as the officer-in-charge of the 150,000-strong PNP organization. But Espina’s OIC role will only be effective up to Dec. 9.

Mayor said they are still waiting for the official order from the Department of Interior and Local Government on who would be the OIC.

Purisima, meanwhile, quietly returned to the Philippines ‎on Friday.

On Sunday, Purisima denied his involvement in the shady deal with ‎Werfast and expressed confidence that the Office of the Ombudsman “would eventually vindicate me.”

The PNP chief maintained the contract between the PNP and Werfast was executed on May 25, 2011, way before he was appointed by President Aquino on Dec. 18, 2012.

“What I approved was only the mandatory delivery of firearms license cards of gun owners to their registered addresses. I did not approve the delivery of firearms license cards by a specific service provider. In fact in March 2014 I terminated the contract of Werfast for gross inefficiency,” he said.