PNP head honcho, Alan Purisima, charged with plunder, graft

Alan Purisima (Wikipedia photo)

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima has been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman with plunder, graft and indirect bribery; on the grounds of corruption.

Purisima allegedly built-up for himself ill-gotten wealth, partly through the receiving of bribe money, which he used to construct a mansion inside Camp Crame; known in the PNP as the “White House.”

The complaints were lodged on Monday by the Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC) after Purisima’s failure or refusal to divulge his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) amidst a strong request from the group of concerned citizens.

The chief director has been under fire in recent weeks due to reported criminal activity in the ranks; such as the highly publicized EDSA “hulidap” or highway robbery on September 1. Ten policemen were involved in the brazen robbery-abduction on one of Manila’s main thoroughfares.

He also received flack for his non-appearance at Senator Grace Poe’s meeting to discuss criminality within the force, and the modernization of the PNP.

CFC’s Perfecto Jaime Tagalog stated said the indirect bribery charge was filed on allegations that Purisima admitted to receiving money from his brothers in the Masonry, for the construction of his official residence at Camp Crame.

Tagalog brought forth the accusation, as well,  that Purisima mis-declared the cost of his is purported mansion in Nueva Ecija mansion, which the latter stated as costing only P3.7 million.

“Declaring the mansion located at San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija in the amount of P3.

7 million is clearly an act of under valuation or misdeclaration of value of the property, which is in violation of the guidelines in the filing of SALN,” Tagalog said.
Other assets, such as a poultry farm in Nueva Ecija, may have also been hidden from Purisima’s declaration.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said that Purisima will be out of the country untilk Sept.

26. Sindac said that the chief director is currently in Bogota, Colombia for an “anti-kidnapping and anti-extortion senior leadership consultation.

”

Sindac added that “These are allegations and if there are charges filed, it will be answered in the proper forum.”

Likewise, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that Purisima should be given the chance to reply to the charges against him

“We’ll allow the chief PNP or his spokesperson to respond to these allegations,” Valte said.