Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) — The Supreme Court (SC) upheld the preventive suspension ordered on former Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima in 2014 over graft allegations.
In a statement Wednesday, the Court said Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales’s decision to suspend Purisima for six months over a questionable deal with a courier service in 2011 is not an abuse of discretion.
“The Ombudsman found that the evidence of guilt against Purisima was strong enough to place him under preventive suspension. Said finding cannot be said to be tainted with grave abuse of discretion as it was based on supporting documentary evidence, none of which were questioned to be inadmissible,” the SC’s statement released Wednesday read.
Purisima was not paid during the six-month suspension. He was eventually barred from entering any government post, and his retirement benefits had been forfeited.
Purisima filed a petition to the high court for review of the Court of Appeals (CA) decision in July 2015, which affirmed Morales’ suspension order.
Morales, in December 2014, ordered Purisima and 11 other policemen to be placed on preventive suspension, in connection with a gun license delivery deal the PNP entered into with courier service WerFast Documentary Agency, Inc in 2011.
“Ultimately, it should be borne in mind that the issuance of a preventive suspension order does not amount to a prejudgment of the merits of the case. Neither is it a demonstration of a public official’s guilt as such pronouncement can be done only after trial on the merits,” the SC said.
In June 2015, Morales ordered the dismissal of Purisima and the other policemen, on the grounds of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and grave abuse of authority for entering a contract with WerFast.
In May 2016, the Ombudsman filed charges Purisima with graft for conspiring with other police officials to award a contract to WerFast without public bidding.
Purisima is still facing raps for his involvement in the death of 44 members of the PNP’s Special Action Force in a botched operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January 2015. The operation targeted Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan.”
A year after, the Ombudsman charged Purisima with usurpation of authority for active participation in the Mamasapano encounter, despite his preventive suspension.
