Purisima faces forfeiture of alleged P29M unexplained wealth

Dismissed Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima refuses to answer reporters’ questions after his arraignment for graft and usurpation of powers in connection with the botched anti-terror raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. INQUIRER.NET FILE / MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Dismissed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima faces forfeiture of P29.2 million in alleged unexplained wealth.

In a statement on Thursday, the Office of the Ombudsman said it ordered the filing of a petition before the Sandiganbayan to initiate forfeiture proceedings for the recovery of Purisima and his family’s alleged unexplained wealth.

In its July 4 Consolidated Resolution, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales seeks the recovery of wealth accumulated by Purisima, his wife Ma. Ramona Lydia, sons Rainier Van Albert, Eumir Von Andrei, Alan, Jr. and Jason Arvi.

Morales also ordered the filing of nine counts of perjury against Purisima for failing to disclose all his properties in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) from 2006 to 2014.

Case records showed that Purisima received salaries, allowances and other benefits totaling P9,550,621.44 for 14 years from 2000 to 2014.

His wife received a total compensation and other income of P6,382,530.84 as an employee of the AFP Mutual Benefits Association, Inc. during the same period.

Their combined earnings amounted to P15,933,152.28 only, the Ombudsman said.

But based on the investigation and analysis made by the Ombudsman, Purisima and his family accumulated unexplained acquisitions amounting to at least P29,292,459.92.

The Ombudsman said Purisima had other properties and business investments under his name and/or that of his wife or sons, which he failed to declare in his SALN.

The properties consisted of real properties in Aulo, Palayan City; residential land in Zaragosa, Nueva Ecija;  11 parcels of land in Talisay, Batangas; land in San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur; and personal properties consisting of firearms acquired from 2010 to 2014.

Meanwhile, records from the Bureau of Immigration showed that Purisima frequently traveled abroad from 2001 to 2014. Of his 19 foreign trips, 12 were official in nature, while seven “were financed from private funds.”

His wife Ramona had 19 travels abroad; sons Rainier, 10; Eumir, four; Alan, Jr., five; and Jayson, seven.

Their frequent travels abroad showed that respondents “lived a lavish lifestyle which is not commensurate with their declared earnings and financial resources,” the Ombudsman said.

In his SALN, Purisima declared the following business interests and financial connections: RAS Construction from 2000-2006 as partner; I@Link Computer Center from 2002 to 2006 as proprietor; Aliakbar Hauling and Trucking Services from 2008 to 2014; and EALRAJ Corporation, a family owned general merchandising corporation, from 2012 to 2014.

In 2014, Purisima’s net worth amounted to P16,762,948.85, according to the Ombudsman investigators.

The Ombudsman also observed that Purisima amended his annual income tax returns (ITR), for years 2004 to 2013, and used a different Bureau of Internal Revenue form for business, profession, and compensation income.

Purisima also suddenly declared sales, revenues from businesses, professional income and combined net taxable income for himself and Ramona, paying a total of P5,087,314.00 in income tax only in Nov. 2014.

Ombudsman Morales also found Purisima’s amended ITR “replete with badges of falsity and misdeclaration” because the reported income from businesses is not supported by financial statements and taxes withheld and remitted by withholding agents.

In its parallel administrative case, the Ombudsman also found Purisima guilty of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and acquisition of unexplained wealth and again ordered dismissed from the service.

Earlier, Purisima was dismissed from the service following his indictment in the anomalous Werfast gun courier contract and faces a penalty convertible to a fine equivalent to his salary for one year. He is facing a graft case before the Sandiganbayan for the Werfast deal.  CBB