Ombudsman forms panel to probe Purisima
MANILA, Philippines—The Office of the Ombudsman created a special panel to investigate the plunder, graft and other complaints against Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima and other officials.
In a statement, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said the panel will probe the anonymous complaint accusing Purisima and other PNP officials of pocketing funds from the mandatory delivery fees paid by gun owners in securing their gun licenses.
The complaint cited the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Werfast Documentary Agency for courier services in the delivery of firearms license cards.
Purisima faces gross negligence/gross neglect of duty, The following, meanwhile, faces grave misconduct and serious dishonesty against Police Director Gil Meneses, former chief of the Civil Security Group (CSG), and former officials of the Firearms Explosive Office (FEO), namely: P/CSupt. Raul Petrasanta, P/CSupt. Napoleon Estilles, P/SSupt. Allan Parreno, P/SSupt. Eduardo Acierto, P/SSupt. Melchor Reyes, P/Supt. Lenbell Fabia, P/CInsp. Sonia Calixto, P/CInsp. Nelson Bautista, P/CInsp. Ricardo Zapata and P/SInsp. Ford Tuazon.
PNP Director General Alan Purisima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/EDWIN BACASMAS
Meneses, Petrasanta, Parreno, Acierto, Reyes, Fabia, Calixto, Bautista, Tuazon, Zapata, Estilles and Werfast representatives Mario Juan, Salud Bautista, Enrique Valerio, Ireno Bacolod, Lorna Perena, Juliana Pasia and Marilyn Chua also face charges of graft.
The five-lawyer panel will also hear the plunder and graft complaints filed by private citizen Glenn Gerard Ricafranca against Purisima, Estilles and Werfast officials.
Article continues after this advertisementRicafranca also charged Purisima and Estilles with Grave Abuse of Authority and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Article continues after this advertisementThe complainants said Werfast through LBC “collected P190.00 for deliveries within Metro Manila and P290 [for those] outside of Metro Manila,” when “other courier services providers charge only P90.00 within Metro Manila.”
The Ombudsman said the police approved the accreditation of Werfast even before it had been accredited by Firearms Explosive Office.
Purisima also approved the delivery of firearms license cards before Werfast was accredited.
The Ombudsman also noted that Werfast was just incorporated with a capitalization of only P65,000. It was also incorporated after the memorandum of agreement was executed and without securing requirements for accreditation.
The Ombudsman also cited the Bureau of Internal Revenue as saying Werfast did not pay taxes from 2011 to 2013.
Werfast is also not accredited to engage in courier services in the country, the Ombudsman said.
PNP Director General Purisima faces plunder, graft and indirect bribery complaints before the Ombudsman over his alleged ostentatious wealth.
He is accused of indirect bribery for accepting donations for the construction of his official residence in Camp Crame called the White House.
Meanwhile, Purisima faces the plunder and graft charges for allegedly hiding the true value of his alleged mansion in Nueva Ecija which he claimed to be worth only P3.7 million.
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