Poe: Espina should fast-track administrative cases vs Purisima

Sen. Grace Poe and Director General Alan Purisima FILE PHOTOS

Following the news that Director Gen. Alan Purisima would report back to work on June 10, Sen. Grace Poe on Saturday said Philippine National Police (PNP) officer in charge Deputy Director Gen. Leonardo Espina should fast-track the investigations on administrative cases against the suspended police chief.

Poe said Espina, who was set to retire in July, had the capacity to pursue charges versus Purisima while he was still in charge of the 150,000-strong police force.

READ: No politics for Espina after leaving PNP

“Hindi naman natin pwedeng sabihin sa tao na, ‘basta mag-resign ka na lang.’ Kahit na overwhelming ‘yung evidence, kailangan nilang gawin ‘yung proseso pra mapatunayan kung ano ang mga pagkakamali,” she said in an interview with radio station dzMM.

Purisima, who resigned in February at the height of the botched Mamasapano operation, was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman in December last year over a shady 2011 deal with Werfast Documentation Agency. He is also facing criminal and administrative charges over the controversial P25-million construction of the “white house” in Camp Crame, the PNP chief’s official residence.

READ: PNP chief faces new administrative, criminal raps

Purisima will be back on active status on June 10 but not as PNP chief. Espina previously said Purisima, who was set to retire in November, would report to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit while waiting for his official designation.

READ: Espina: Purisima is back but not as PNP chief

Poe said Purisima should not be allowed to just retire as long as the charges against him were not settled.

“Walang hustisya sa ganun. Oo, mapapagastos tayo dito, at ‘yung oras ng ating mga kapulisan ay mababawasan sa pagtutok sa mga kasong ito pero kailangan itong gawin,” she said.

The senator said pursuing the cases against Purisima would set a good example to the next PNP chief.

“Kapag pinag-retire mo lamang na hindi mo tinutukoy ang mga pagkakamali at pagbayaran ng tama, mauulit lamang itong ganitong uri ng sitwasyon dahil hindi rin matatakot kung sino ang susunod dito,” she said.

Poe also urged President Benigno Aquino III to appoint a new PNP chief and not another officer in charge as soon as possible. RC

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