Lawyer Kristoffer James Purisima
MANILA, Philippines—The National Police Commission (Napolcom) should implement the Ombudsman order before Director General Alan Purisima could go through his suspension, the lawyer of the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief said on Wednesday.
Lawyer Kristoffer James Purisima said in a press briefing in Camp Crame that the Napolcom, and not the Department of the Interior and Local Government, should serve Purisima’s six-month preventive suspension.
“Legally speaking, it should be the Napolcom implementing this. If Napolcom serves the order, we will follow the proper orders. If the process is followed, what else can we object to?” the lawyer said.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas earlier maintained that the suspension order was considered served, adding that the legal issues raised by Purisima’s camp were just delaying tactics.
But the lawyer, who is a distant relative of Purisima, refuted earlier reports that the PNP chief was defying the Ombudsman’s order after filing a temporary restraining order to stop the suspension.
”We would just like to clarify and emphasize that the PNP chief is not defying any lawful orders. What the PNP chief would just like to emphasize is that the process should be followed,” he said.
Asked why Purisima’s camp was being “too technical,” the lawyer reiterated that they were just abiding by the law.
“We’re not being too technical. Kaya po meron tayong batas para po ito ay sundin,” he said.
Purisima’s camp maintained that there were loopholes in serving the suspension.
Similar to their earlier statement, the lawyer stressed that only the Napolcom has administrative control over the 150,000-strong organization.
He maintained that the DILG has “no direct line with PNP, contrary to common understanding.”
“It just so happens that the SILG wears another hat as Napolcom chair,” he said.
Roxas, as interior secretary, is the ex-officio chairman of Napolcom.
PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said he personally talked to Purisima early this morning in his official residence in Camp Crame dubbed the “White House.”
“He (Purisima) acknowledged the suspension order. His camp just emphasized that as citizen we are accorded by law of all the legal means to protect our rights,” Mayor said.
The Ombudsman ordered Purisima’s preventive suspension in connection with an allegedly anomalous contract to deliver firearm license cards.
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