Ombudsman Suspends PNP General Purisima, et. al.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the six-month preventive suspension without pay of Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima, Police Director Gil Meneses, former chief of the PNP Civil Security Group (CSG); along with former officials of the PNP Firearms Explosive Office (FEO), namely: P/CSupt. Raul Petrasanta, P/CSupt. Napoleon Estilles, P/SSupt. Allan Parreño, P/SSupt. Eduardo Acierto, P/SSupt. Melchor Reyes, P/SSupt. Lenbell Fabia, P/Supt. Sonia Calixto, P/CInsp. Nelson Bautista, P/SInsp. Ford Tuazon and P/CInsp. Ricardo Zapata pending the administrative case on the allegedly anomalous courier service contract with WERFAST Documentary Agency (WERFAST) in 2011.

Purisima and his co-respondents. face administrative charges for Grave Misconduct and Serious Dishonesty based on separate complaints filed by the Fact-Finding Investigation Bureau and Glenn Gerard Ricafranca, alleging that they siphoned funds from the mandatory delivery fees paid by gun owners in securing their gun licenses, through the PNP entering into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with WERFAST for courier services in the delivery of firearms license cards despite its non-accreditation and having been incorporated only after the execution of the MOA, with a capitalization of only P65,000.00.

Records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue also revealed that WERFAST did not pay any taxes from 2011 to 2013. As per records of the Department of Science and Technology – Postal Regulation Committee, WERFAST is not accredited to engage in courier services in the country. Moreover, there were no records to show that WERFAST established an online facility for applications for renewal of firearms license.

The Complaint further alleges that due to lack of track record and logistical capability, WERFAST engaged the services of LBC wherein WERFAST “collected P190.00 for deliveries within Metro Manila and P290 [for those] outside of Metro Manila,” when “other courier services providers charge only P90.00 within Metro Manila.” Based on FEO records, 90,455 firearms license cards were issued for delivery from March 2013 to March 2014.

In approving the preventive suspension, Ombudsman Morales stated that “[since] respondent public officers’ respective positions give them access to public records and influence on possible witnesses, respondents’ continued stay in the office may prejudice the case filed against them.”

Under Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6770 (Ombudsman Act of 1989), the Ombudsman or the Deputies “may preventively suspend any officer or employee…if in her/his judgment the evidence of guilt is strong, and (a) the charge against such officer or employee involves dishonesty, oppression or grave misconduct or neglect in the performance of duty; (b) the charges would warrant removal from the service; or (c) the respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against him.”

Source: www.ombudsman.gov.ph