Purisima arrested at NAIA, posts bail

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima was arrested for graft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday.

According to reports, Purisima has just arrived from Butuan City when he was arrested.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group then escorted him to the headquarters of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan where he posted bail.

The court earlier ordered the arrest of Purisima on charges of graft for allegedly giving undue benefit to a courier service provider for firearms licenses.

Purisima posted P30,000 bail for his provisional liberty from the graft case filed against him.

Dexter Corpuz, Purisima's lawyer, claimed that Purisima voluntarily surrendered and that he was not arrested at the airport.

Sandiganbayan Sixth Division also ordered the arrest of Napoleon Estilles, Gil Meneses, Allan Parreño, Melchor Reyes, Ford Tuazon, Salud Bautista, Enrique Valerio, Lorna Parena, Mario Juan and Juliana Pasia.

Prosecutors found probable cause to file charges against Purisima and 10 others after investigating the PNP's contract with Werfast Documentation Agency Inc. in 2011.

The investigation showed that the deal should not have been awarded to the private firm whose services were allegedly overpriced. — Patricia Lourdes Viray