Purisima accepts suspension order

Alan Purisima (Wikipedia photo)

MANILA – Following his failure to secure an immediate temporary restraining order (TRO) against his suspension, Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima has finally rest his case and accepted the order.

The Court of Appeals asked the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday to explain why Purisima should not be granted the TRO.

The PNP chief, meanwhile, told Interior Secretary Mar Roxas that he will respect the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman suspending him for six months.

Last week, the Ombudsman released the order suspending Purisima, one of President Aquino’s closest friends in the government.

Also suspended along with Purisima are other police officials involved in the alleged multimillion-peso contract involving the PNP and a nonaccredited courier service for the delivery of gun license in 2011.

Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said in an interview that he informed Roxas that he will be implementing the Ombudsman suspension order.

“I’m just implementing the Ombudsman’s order which was addressed to me as secretary of the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government),” Roxas said after the meeting of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Roxas also added that Purisima responded and said that he acknowledges his authority as the secretary of the department and that he promised to respect the order.

“I just told him there’s nothing personal and this is just part of my job. He said, ‘Yes sir. I understand.’ So the next thing we discussed was about the OIC of the PNP.’” Roxas added.

“This is just a regular part of my job. There should be no drama or complications,” he said.