Drilon urges Aquino to decide on Purisima’s fate
Senate President Franklin Drilon urges the decision on the leadership gap in the PNP brought about by the suspension of Director-General Alan Purisima.
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Franklin Drilon urged the President on Friday to immediately decide on the fate of suspended Philippine National Police chief, Director General Alan Purisima in view of the upcoming visit of Pope Francis and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meetings next year.
“Ito po ay malalaking events na kailangan ang napakaayos na seguridad, sa aking tingin. Hindi tayo pwede magpabaya rito, kaya hindi biro ang pangangailangan ng ating bansa sa security,” Drilon said in an interview over DZRH.
(These are big events, which, in my opinion, require stringent security. We cannot be lax on these as the country’s need for security and order is no joke.)
Even if there’s an OIC, the Senate leader said, it has a limited power to effect changes and reforms in the PNP. Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina currently serves as PNP OIC.
“Kaya mahirap po na ang OIC (officer-in-charge) lang-alam mo kasi pag OIC ka lang ay hindi ka pwede mag-appoint ng tao, hindi ka pwedeng magreshuffle. Tali ang kamay ng kung sino man ang OIC ngayon…”
(That is why it is difficult to have just an OIC, because as OIC, you cannot appoint people or reshuffle them. Whoever is the OIC has his hands tied.)
“Kaya kailangan na magdesisyon na, sa aking tingin. Kailangang magdesisyon na sa kalagayan ni Director General Purisima. At the very least, siguro kailangan natin hindi ng isang OIC kundi isang acting Director General,” Drilon added.
(That is why a decision is needed. There should be a decision on Director-General Purisima’s fate. At the very least, we need an acting Director-General, not just an OIC.)
Purisima has been placed under six-month preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman over an allegedly questionable contract of the PNP with a service courier company in 2011.
“In an organization such as the Philippine National Police where authority and leadership is strictly observed, Purisima’s suspension from his post would turn it into a ‘headless’ body,” said Drilon in a separate statement.
“That situation is what we wanted to prevent, especially in light of the forthcoming hosting of the Philippines of two high-profile events next year which would require a full-time PNP chief to be on top of all security preparations,” he added.
Drilon said it would be in the best interest of the country if the leadership issue in the PNP would be “acted on and resolved immediately.”
“The about 150,000 police force need to see and feel the presence, the leadership and the authority of their leader in order to inspire them to deliver their commitments to maintain a peaceful and an orderly community and nation,” he said.
Drilon also said he believes that the controversy involving the PNP chief has negatively affected the Filipino’s view of the police and could undermine the way the people look at the seriousness of this administration’s anti-corruption agenda.
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