MANILA – The Philippines’ national police Alan Purisima was suspended Thursday by the Ombudsman in connection to an ongoing investigation into the licensing of firearms and delivery of gun permits by a private courier.
Aside from Purisima, several senior police officials were also suspended for 6 months. Among them were Chief Superintendents Raul Petrasanta, Regino Catiis; Senior Inspectors Eduardo Acierto, Allan Parreño; Superintendents Nelson Bautista, Chief Inspectors Ricky Sumalde, Ricardo Zapata, Jr., Rodrigo Benedicto Sarmiento; Senior Police Officers Eric Tan, Randy De Sesto and non-uniformed personnel Nora Pirote, Sol Bargan and Enrique Dela Cruz.
Morales ordered the suspension in connection with the administrative case on the alleged missing AK-47 assault rifles. She said based on a complaint filed by the Fact-Finding Investigation Bureau, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group reported on July 17, 2014 that private security agencies and a mining company have applied and was issued firearms licenses by the national police using falsified and incomplete documentary requirements.
According to the police database, some 1,004 licensed firearms were released through the submission of incomplete or falsified applications allegedly submitted by Isidro Lozada, owner of Caraga Security Agency, who purchased the weapons from Twin Pines, Inc. which, in turn, facilitated and submitted the falsified or incomplete license applications (of Lozada) to the PNP Firearms Explosive Office.
And despite irregularities in the applications, licenses were processed and approved by PNP-FEO officials and personnel.
In approving the preventive suspension, Morales said “the bulk of material evidence in the custody of the PNP, and given the power and authority attached to the respondents’ positions, there is strong probability that they may influence witnesses or tamper with any evidence material to the case.”
The Ombudsman also suspended Police Director Gil Meneses, former chief of the PNP Civil Security Group; along with ex-officials of the PNP Firearms Explosive Office – Chief Superintendets Raul Petrasanta, Napoleon Estilles; Senior Superintendents Eduardo Acierto, Melchor Reyes, Lenbell Fabia; Superintendent Sonia Calixto, Chief Inspector Nelson Bautista, Ricardo Zapata, Senior Inspector Ford Tuazon pending the administrative case on the alleged anomalous courier service contract with WERFAST Documentary Agency in 2011.
Both Purisma and Parreño are also included in probe and suspension order.
Morales said Purisima and the other 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 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 agreement with a capitalization of merely P65,000.
The Ombudsman also cited records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue which 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.
It said the complaint alleged 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, some 90,455 firearms license cards were issued for delivery from March 2013 to March 2014.
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.”
There was no immediate statement from Purisima who is now in Saudi Arabia. (Mindanao Examiner)
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