PURISIMA: SMEAR CAMPAIGN MEANT TO BLOCK REFORMS AT PNP
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Alan La Madrid Purisima told a Senate panel on Tuesday that he had become a target of an organized smear campaign to block the reforms he had put in place within the police force, particularly in fighting corruption in the processing of gun permits.
Appearing before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, Purisima said the syndicates operating within the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) of the PNP that were stripped of their “businesses” were going after his neck.
Prior to reforms he had instituted, Purisima said the FEO was a corruption-riddled office that allowed the proliferation of fake gun licenses and permit to carry firearms.
“Sa ating paghahangad na ayusin at itama ang sistema, may mga nawalan ng raket, kita at kabuhayan. Natural, gusto nila tayong siraan ngayon para maging business-as-usual ulit,” he added.
Because of the reforms, Purisima said, he was able to stop the issuance of fake identification cards and firearms licenses to security guards, as well as contracts that were not favorable to the government.
“May mga sindikato din na yumayaman dahil sa kontratang hindi pabor sa gobyerno.Kaakibat nito ang paglalabas ng pekeng ID cards sa mga security guards, pati pa rin ang mga Permit To Carry Outside Of Residence. Pinatigil ko na rin ito,” Purisima explained.
He added: “Makakaasa ang ating mga kababayan na hindi natin palulusutin ang ganitong mga kontrata kahit kailan. Kung may alam po kayong iba pang katiwalian sa inyong PNP, isumbong nyo po sa akin. Patutunayan ko sa inyo na hindi ako puro salita lamang.”
He lamented that amid his desire to eradicate corruption in the police organization, there were attempts to cast doubt on his integrity.
“Pati nga po ‘yung negosyong manukan na aming itinatag na korporasyon at bahay na naipundar ko sa marangal na paraan, pinupuntirya ngayon ng mga kalaban ko para lang maisulong ang kanilang kagustuhan,” Purisima pointed out.
Purisima was referring to allegations that he had amassed ill-gotten wealth, including his so-called “hidden mansion” and a poultry farm in Nueva Ecija.
Critics claimed both properties were not declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), which the PNP chief vehemently denied.
The country’s top cop assured the public that he would not tolerate “scalawags” in the police service, including those involved in “hulidap” cases.
“Patuloy din ang ating pag-imbestiga sa mga tinuturing na iskalawags sa serbisyo. Hindi natin kinukunsinti ang kanilang mga gawain na nakasisira at dumudungis sa pangalan at reputasyon ng kapulisan,” Purisima said.
And despite the campaign to bring him down, Purisima vowed to continue the reforms and focus on transforming the police force to better serve the public.
“I do not deny that your national police force is a work in progress – as all our democratic institutions are. Like a rough ashlar, your PNP needs to undergo a transformation process to chip away its imperfections and shape its character to become the ideal law enforcement organization that will deserve the utmost respect of the people it serves and protects,” he said.(PNP-PIO)
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