Purisima goes on leave

Resigned PNP Chief Alan Purisima at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano clash (screenshot from Rappler footage)

MANILA — Former Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima will not yet be reporting to his duty even after the end of his six-month suspension order.

Purisima, who was supposed to report to the PNP-Police Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU), filed a leave of absence effective today.

“The suspension of Purisima ends and he should be back with the PNP. But he filed a leave effective June 10 until July,” Sr. Supt. Bartolome Tobias said.

He added that the leave filed by Purisima was approved by PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, who is now the highest officer in the police organization.

This means that while on leave, Purisima is no longer required to report to PHAU where police officers on floating status are assigned while waiting for their specific assignment.

According to Tobias, Purisima can still extend his leave given the accumulated leave credits he has following his 30 years in service.

“He has leave credits left and he can extend it if he wants to. To take a leave is a right,” Tobias said.

“A leave of absence is enjoyed as long as there are available leave credits.

Both the non-duty status and the leave of absence are with pay,” he added.

Though the  suspension has been lifted, Purisima cannot go back to his former post as the PNP chief because he resigned the position in February.

The resignation came after the death of 44 police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos after a botched operation and clash with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.