Palace: No replacement yet for Purisima

MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang has not yet named the successor of resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that President Aquino and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas would still be discussing Purisima’s replacement in the coming week.

Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina is currently the PNP officer in charge.

“The President and the Secretary of Interior and Local Government will have time to discuss the appointment of the new PNP chief and that would provide continuity and, certainly, it will improve the morale of the PNP. We are continuing to address all these concerns as well…. And certainly we look forward to the appointment of a new PNP chief,” Lacierda said.

Malacañang on Saturday clarified that Purisima submitted his resignation letter to President Aquino on Friday morning, contrary to reports that he resigned on Thursday.

“My understanding is the resignation was submitted (Friday) and it was only then that President Aquino accepted his resignation,” Lacierda said over government-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Purisima was supposedly the overall commander of the SAF operation to get Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his deputy, Afghan-trained bomber Abdul Usman Basit even while he was suspended by the Ombudsman over an anomalous PNP contract.

Purisima had denied being the overall commander, despite the claim of relieved SAF chief, Director Getulio Napenas.

As this developed, Vice President Jejomar Binay said the resignation of Purisima raised more questions than answers.

“Former PNP chief Alan Purisima made the nation wait for 12 days before he decided to speak up. And when he did, it was only to vaguely deny his participation in the planning and implementation of the police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25,” said Binay.

“Gen. Purisima’s pronouncements directly contradict the statements made by the former SAF commander and other sources who earlier claimed that Gen. Purisima was heavily involved in the planning and implementation of the bloody operation even though he was suspended as Chief of the PNP,” he said.–With a report by Niña P. Calleja