SEN. MARCOS WELCOMES OMBUDSMAN ORDER SACKING
PURISIMA; VOWS TO PURSUE JUSTICE FOR FALLEN 44

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos welcomed the order of the Office of the Ombudsman dismissing from service former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and 10 other PNP officials for entering into an anomalous contract with courier service, WerFast Documentary Agency in 2011.

Marcos had urged Malacañang to sack Purisima and file appropriate charges against him for taking part in the January 25 Mamasapano operation while serving a 60-day suspension order of the Ombudsman in connection with a plunder case against the police officer.

Firing Purisima and charging him is the least the Palace can do to heed the cry for justice of the families of the 44 SAF (Special Action Force) commandos killed in the botched Mamasapano operation, according to Marcos.

However, Malacañang came to the defense of the police general whom President Aquino acknowledged as a close friend and reportedly told the senator: "Leave Purisima alone.

"Even if Malacañang remains deaf to the plea for justice of the families of the Fallen 44, the action of the Ombudsman gives us a sense of relief that Purisima is not untouchable and could be made to answer for his wrongdoings," Marcos said.

Marcos stressed that Purisima still has to be made accountable for the botched Mamasapano operation.

"Purisima has to face all the criminal charges filed against him for what he did as PNP chief but he must also pay a separate price for illegally taking part in the Mamasapano operation that resulted in the death of the SAF 44," Marcos said.

Purisima was expected to go back to work as a police officer last June 10 after serving the Ombudsman's suspension order but opted to file a leave of absence.

Marcos also said earlier that Purisima's insistence on returning to service, keeping his 4-star general rank, is causing disarray in the PNP organization and preventing the appointment of a permanent PNP chief.

In a 50-page consolidated decision released Tuesday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales found substantial evidence to hold Purisima liable for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and grave abuse of authority.

Aside from dismissal from service, other penalties imposed against Purisima include forfeiture of retirement benefits, cancellation of eligibility, and perpetual disqualification from re-employment in government service.

The 10 others meted the same fate were PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles, Senior Superintendent Allan Parreño, Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto Senior Superintendent Melchor Reyes, Superintendent Lenbell Fabia, Chief Inspector Sonia Calixto, Chief Inspector Nelson Bautista, Chief Inspector Ricardo Zapata Jr. and Senior Inspector Ford Tuazon.

Purisima was charged by a private citizen in a P100 million case alleging plunder, graft and abuse of authority over the use of the courier service to deliver firearms licenses.