Ombudsman upholds criminal raps vs. ex-PNP chief, 16 others for anomalous courier deal

No public bidding was conducted by Purisima (left), et al. and the MOA was entered into despite Werfast’s lack of track record as a courier service company. (Photo courtesy of Sen. Grace Poe’s Facebook page)

MANILA–Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has ordered the filing of criminal charges before the Sandiganbayan against former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima and 11 police officers and five civilians for their alleged involvement in the anomalous courier services contract with Werfast Documentation Agency Inc. (Werfast) in 2011.

Indicted together with Purisima for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No.

3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, are: PNP officials Napoleon Estilles, Gil Meneses, Raul Petrasanta, Allan Parreño, Eduardo Acierto, Melchor Reyes, Lenbell Fabia, Sonia Calixto, Nelson Bautista, Ford Tuazon and Ricardo Zapata Jr., and Werfast incorporators Mario Juan, Salud Bautista, Enrique Valerio, Lorna Perena and Juliana Pasia.

In a 10-page consolidated order released on Friday, the Ombudsman upheld the finding of probable cause against the 12 PNP officials.

The Ombudsman found that Werfast had no corporate existence and juridical personality when the PNP engaged its services through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) executed in May 2011.

The MOA authorized Werfast to have the sole responsibility of setting up an online system for firearms license application and delivery.

No public bidding was conducted by Purisima, et al. and the MOA was entered into despite Werfast’s lack of track record as a courier service company.

The PNP officials admitted that the documents submitted by Werfast for accreditation were incomplete, meeting only the minimum requirements, giving absolute credence to Werfast’s representation that it has a joint venture with CMIT Consultancy Group Inc. and Philrem.

Investigation found that Werfast engaged the services of LBC wherein Werfast collected Php190 for deliveries within Metro Manila and Php290 for outside of Metro Manila, when other courier service providers charge only Php90 within Metro Manila.

Morales said that “the document trail — from the execution of the MOA to the issuance of an accreditation policy, subsequent mandatory imposition of courier service fee deliveries, until accreditation of Werfast — reveals measures undertaken to mask a long line of violations.”