PNP Chief’s cousin claims: photos of ‘ordinary house’ may have been ‘photoshopped’

One view of the Nueva Ecija house (Photo: PNP Information)

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima invited members of the media to tour his Nueva Ecija property to prove that it is “not a mansion.”

Purisima has been charged before the Office of the Ombudsman with plunder, graft and indirect bribery; on the grounds of corruption by the Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC), led by perfecto Jaime Tagalog.

The PNP chief 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.”

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

On October 2, GMA News circulated undated photos of the Nueva Ecija property, which experts said is valued at an estimated P50-million.

To this, Purisima said that the house is simply an “ordinary” house which has been “improved” through the years.

On Monday, October 6, Purisima invited members of the media to tour the Nueva Ecija house, in a bid to defend himself against the allegations.

Speaking to the media, the PNP chief’s cousin, Tito Purisima, stated that the Nueva Ecija property is in no way comparable to “the houses In Forbes Park;” and that photos of the property may have been “Photoshopped” or technologically altered to look better.

When queried by media as to the cost of the property, Tito answered that he is in “no position to give an estimate,” as he is “no contractor,” but he did say that the main house has a market value of only P2.3-million.

But media reporters said that Purisima’s house is far from being “ordinary” by Filipino standards, noting the size of the 4.7 hectare property, the first-class fixtures and appliances used within the house itself, among others.

PNP Chief Purisima has maintained his innocenece, and claims his conscience is “very, very clean.”

Screengrab of Nueva Ecija property from YouTube clip of “24 Horas” report