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Ex-PNP chief Purisima, family face P29.2-M forfeiture raps


Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has ordered the filing of a petition to initiate forfeiture proceedings against former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and his family for allegedly amassing ill-gotten wealth worth P29.2 million.

In a consolidated resolution dated July 4, 2017, Morales charged Purisima, his wife Ma. Ramona Lydia, and sons Rainier Van Albert, Eumir Von Andrei, Alan Jr, and Jason Arvi for violating Republic Act No. 1379.

Morales also ordered the filing of nine counts of perjury against Purisima for willfully and deliberately failing to disclose all of his properties in his statement of assets liabilities and net worth (SALN) from 2006 to 2014.

The Office of the Ombudsman found the former PNP chief guilty of Grave Misconduct, Serious Dishonesty and Acquisition of Unexplained Wealth in a parallel administrative case where he was ordered dismissed from the police service.

Records showed Purisima received salaries, allowances and other benefits in the total amount of P9.6 million for 14 years from 2000 to 2014.

His wife Maria Romana, on the other hand, received a total compensation of P6.4 million as an employee of the AFP Mutual Benefits Association, Inc. for the same period, with the couple receiving a combined income of P16 million.

Furthermore, Purisima declared business interests and financial connections with RAS Construction from 2000-2006, I@Link Computer Center from 2002 to 2006, Aliakbar Hauling and Trucking Services from 2008 to 2014, and the family owned general merchandising firm EALRAJ Corporation from 2012 to 2014.

He had a net worth of P16.8 million in 2014, according to Ombudsman investigators.

Lavish lifestyle

Upon investigation and analysis, however, the Ombudsman found that Purisima failed to declare in his SALN several real properties in the towns of Palayan City and Zaragosa in Nueva Ecija; parcels of land in Talisay, Batangas, and San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur; and other personal possessions such as firearms from 2010 to 2014.

The same properties are also the subject of Purisima's perjury charges.

The issue on the parcels of land in Palayan City were likewise referred to the Department of Agriculture since these were covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

The Ombudsman further noted that the Purisima family had made frequent travels abroad from 2001 to 2014. The former PNP chief himself took 19 foreign trips, 12 of which were official in nature, while seven “were financed from private funds."

Ma. Romana also made 19 trips abroad, followed by Rainier with 10, Jayson with seven trips, Alan Jr. with five, and Eumir had four.

The Ombudsman said the travels of the Purisima family "show that they lived a lavish lifestyle which is not commensurate with their declared earnings and financial resources.”

Morales mentioned that Purisima's income tax return from 20014 to 2013 also revelead that "they are replete with badges of falsity and misdeclaration. The reported income from businesses is not supported by financial statements and taxes withheld and remitted by withholding agents.”

In relation to Purisima's claims that the properties registered under his sons were acquired through their own capacity, Morales said “there is no sufficient proof that reasonably supports the financial or earning capacity of P/DG Purisima’s children."

"The inevitable conclusion is that their acquisitions and investments were made possible through the funds of P/DG Purisima himself who failed to account for the sources of these,” Morales said.

“Their (sons') acquisitions and investments may be added to the forfeitable assets by reason of unexplained wealth,” she added.

The consolidated resolution covers complaints filed by Ombudsman investigators, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, the Coalition of Filipino Consumers, and Jose Teddie del Rosario. —LBG/MDM, GMA News

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