PNP chief stays away from wealth probe, goes to Cebu to distribute rice to poor

PNP Chief Alan Purisima

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima has been staying in this city, hundreds of miles away from Manila, where he has been subjected to intense scrutiny over his wealth, to attend a series of activities and even give aid to people in need.

He led Mason members Monday afternoon in giving sacks of rice to fire victims in barangay Luz.

He also had lunch with Mason members in Marco Polo Hotel.

Mason is an organization composed of PNP officials, businessmen and police and military retirees who reportedly donated resources to improve his official quarters in Camp Crame. These donations have been questioned by Purisima’s critics who raised the possibility that some of the donors were PNP contractors, thus posing conflict-of-interest situations in the future for the PNP.

At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Purisima led the distribution of rice to at least 250 families. Each family received one pack of rice. Each pack contained 250 kilos.

Purisima refused to be interviewed by media, leaving it to PNP regional director Prudencio “Tom” Bañas to answer questions from the media.

Bañas said that Purisima’s visit was planned but he did not give details to the media ahead of Purisima’s arrival due to security reasons.

Maria Luz Araña, one of the fire victims, received at least five packs of rice because she had 17 members in her household.

“Dako na kayo ni nga tabang (It’s great that help has come),” Araña told Cebu Daily News. The rice was distributed inside the Barriu Luz Elementary School, now the temporary shelter of the fire victims and the MT. Moriah Lodge no. 252 Masonic Charity helped Purisima distribute the sacks of rice.

Purisima only stayed for about 10 minutes and left.

At 8 a.m. Wednesday, Purisima will visit the Police Regional Office 7 headquarters, according to Bañas. He will be the special guest in an awards ceremony recognizing exemplary police personnel in the PRO 7. After the awarding, Purisima will meet with the policemen and women of the PRO 7 headquarters for an hour-long talk.

Then by noon, Purisima will be at the Cebu Provincial Capitol for the signing of a deed of donation. On behalf of the PNP, Purisima will officially accept from the Cebu Provincial Government the lot currently occupied by the Cebu Provincial Police Office in Sudlon, Cebu City.

Thirteen other municipalities in Cebu province will also receive lot donations from the provincial government.

Bañas said that they were delighted that the PNP director general visited Cebu City so that he could personally see the help needed by the city.

Even if the Cebu City Police Office did not declare a heightened alert during the PNP director general’s visit, policemen were deployed to areas that Purisima visited.

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