MANILA, Philippines - Even after getting the support of Malacañang, Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima would still be held accountable for his actions and face investigation over allegations into his lifestyle.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma stressed Purisima, like all public officials, is accountable under existing laws.
He said everything a public official would do should be in accordance with rules and regulations.
“That is expected of all public officials, not just General Purisima. All those who swore… to serve Juan de la Cruz must acknowledge their responsibility to follow the law in all of their actions,” Coloma said.
He added all government officials “were accountable before the bar of public opinion.”
Coloma though noted Purisima could also be a target of severe criticism because he took the challenge of combating unscrupulous elements both in and out of the police service.
There have been reports about an “operation” against Purisima supposedly hatched by those opposed to his reforms.
“There are also sectors that are expressing support for him because of his record in fighting illegal gambling, kidnapping and criminal syndicates,” Coloma said.
Coloma also emphasized President Aquino told Purisima to tell the truth about his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs), which was what the PNP chief did.
“And we saw that when he faced the Senate, he answered all questions pertaining to (his SALNs),” Coloma said.
And after Purisima’s Senate appearance to explain his SALNs, Coloma said nothing had changed in Aquino’s position with regard to the PNP chief.
Purisima is under fire for accepting P11 million in donations for the construction of the “White House” at PNP headquarters in Camp Crame. He also admitted getting a huge discount for a luxury vehicle he purchased from a dealership in Pampanga.
Some of his properties were also allegedly undervalued and were missing in his SALNs. But Purisima belied all of these.
Coloma said they were not giving the impression that it was okay to accept donations and gifts and still keep a leader’s moral ascendancy among his people, noting that public officials would be accountable under the law and before the bar of public opinion.
He said this would include the filing of charges against government officials before the courts.
Coloma reiterated that taking a leave of absence or resigning from his post would solely be the decision of Purisima.
See for yourself
Purisima, on the other hand, went on damage control mode by inviting members of the media to visit his controversial residence in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija to prove that his property is not a mansion as reports had it.
“My house is not a mansion. It was just an ordinary house that we have improved over the years,” he said.
PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor also showed to reporters the state of disrepair at the White House.
Mayor distributed photos of areas of the house submerged under a foot of floodwater.
“These photos were taken on Wednesday after the heavy rains,” said Mayor.
Mayor clarified the pictures were released to give the public an idea of the situation inside the compound of the white house.
Purisima, on the other hand, extensively discussed his property in Nueva Ecija, which was among the so-called “unexplained wealth.” He said he included the property worth P3.7 million in his SALN.
“It’s their word against mine. The best is for you to go there and see it for yourself,” he said.
Purisima claimed “somebody close to him” has something to do with the smear campaign against him.
He said only select people knew of his property in Nueva Ecija.
Even the police director of Nueva Ecija does not know the property in San Leonardo and those who knew about it have visited the place, he said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Non Alquitran, Christina Mendez, Rey Galupo