Purisima answers Capa’s verbal attacks

PNP Director General Alan Purisima (left) relieves Senior Supt. Conrad Capa (right) as head of the task force that captured fugitive businessman Delfin Lee, and promotes him as deputy chief for operations of the Cebu regional police office. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Director General Alan Purisima, the Philippine National Police chief, has been avoiding a word war with the police official he reassigned to the Visayas after the latter captured wanted real estate magnate Delfin Lee.

Purisima had declined to answer questions on the claims of Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa, head of the task force that arrested Lee, on his relief order that was disguised as a “promotion.”

But in a speech delivered Tuesday at the first national summit of the PNP Anti-‎Cybercrime Group, Purisima made reference to the controversy over the reassignment of the Task Force Tugis head who arrested Lee on March 6.

Citing reforms in the promotion system of the PNP, Purisima stressed in that some police officials still do not understand the need to occupy a “significant position” before getting promoted.

“Kaya ngayon kailangan mag-occupy ka ng isang mahalagang posisyon bago ka tumuntong sa susunod mong ranggo. At marami sa amin sa PNP ay hindi pa naiintindihan ito‎,” he said.

Purisima said police officials aspiring for promotion should undergo an exam and interview for qualification.

“You have to qualify yourself,” he added.

In previous interviews, Capa lambasted Purisima for saying his relief order as Task Force Tugis chief was actually a step closer to his promotion.

Considering himself as “ripe for promotion,” Capa argued that he had hurdled positions that could qualify him for the Chief Superintendent rank.

Capa was relieved from his post barely a week after the Lee, president of real estate firm Globe Asiatique Holdings INC., which allegedly used “ghost buyers” to acquire almost P7 billion worth of loans from Pag-Ibig Fund from 2008 to 2011.

He would serve as the Deputy Regional Director for Operations in Central Visayas Police Regional Office.

But in a press conference last week, Purisima maintained that Capa’s new designation was a reward and a “stepping stone” for his promotion.

There had been controversies in the delisting of Lee in the most wanted persons lists as well as the legality of his arrest.

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