Purisima’s trial over anomalous courier deal delayed again

Former police chief Alan Purisima. INQUIRER FILE / MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Dismissed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima will have to wait a little longer before his trial over an allegedly anomalous gun courier deal could proceed.

Purisima attended his scheduled pre-trial on Tuesday at the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division after the previous one was canceled last Jan. 10.

READ: Purisima’s graft pre-trial in courier deal case reset 

But the court canceled the hearing again because both parties had yet to stipulate the facts of the case.

The prosecution and defense agreed to set another preliminary conference on May 9 for the stipulation of facts, which is also subject to the submission of a supplemental pre-trial brief.

The pre-trial was reset to June 6. Another preliminary conference was scheduled for May 9.

During the pre-trial proper, the prosecution and defense panels meet to mark their exhibits of evidence and prepare the list of witnesses in preparation for the trial proper. Marking of exhibits happens during the preliminary conference.

Purisima, a friend of former President Benigno Aquino III, and 16 others were charged with one count of graft for acting allegedly with manifest partiality, evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence when they awarded the courier contract to WerFast Documentary Agency, Inc.

READ: Purisima faces graft over anomalous courier deal

The prosecution said Purisima violated Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when he gave unwarranted benefit to Werfast.

Purisima entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Werfast and accredited the firm as the PNP’s courier service provider for all the firearms license applications despite its failure to comply with government regulations on courier services.

Purisima and the respondents also approved the delivery by courier of firearms license as a mandatory policy in the PNP.

The prosecution said Werfast failed to seek prior registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and failed to get authority from the Department of Transportation and Communications to operate a delivery service as well as an accreditation from the Department of Science and Technology.

Earlier, Purisima and the others were dismissed from service by the Ombudsman after they were found administratively guilty of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and grave abuse of authority. The officials were forfeited  their retirement benefits and barred from being reemployed in government.

READ: Purisima, Petrasanta, 9 other PNP officers dismissed from service 

In ordering the graft charges, the Ombudsman said Purisima entered into a courier service contract with Werfast although the latter had no corporate existence and juridical personality when the PNP entered into a MOA in May 2011.

The Ombudsman found that no public bidding was conducted, and that the MOA was entered into although Werfast lacked the track record as a courier service company. CBB/rga