Text exchanges between Noy, Purisima cited in Ombudsman's charge

The Office of the Ombudsman considered text messages between former President Benigno Aquino III and then-suspended Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima as part of evidence to charge the former chief executive.

In its consolidated resolution, the Ombudsman noted that Aquino continued to receive Purisima's advixe, as shown on text messages presented in the Senate probe on the massacre, despite the police official's suspension over the alleged anomalous courier service deal the PNP entered under his leadership.

“There is no gainsaying that President Aquino was fully aware that the Office of the Ombudsman had placed Purisima under preventive suspension at that time [for the anomalous Werfest deal],” the resolution read.

“The fact remains that, at the time, particularly before and during the actual implementation of Oplan Exodus, Purisima was under preventive suspension, and that Purisima, despite being under preventive suspension, indeed played an active role in Oplan Exodus, as shown by all the record of SMS exchanges and findings in the Senate Committee Report on the Mamasapano incident, to the point that he was exercising a degree of authority and discretion over Napeñas and consequently, over the operation,” it added.

GMA News' Raffy Tima posted snippets of the resolution on Twitter containing the text message exchanges.

Text exchanges bet ExPres. Aquino & Purisima seen by Ombudsman as hard evidence Purisima was on top of Oplan Exodus despite being suspended. pic.twitter.com/Eq6JVjQIVA

— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) July 14, 2017

Aquino's camp has said he will appeal the order, citing a "misappreciation of facts." —with Joseph Tristan Roxas/JST, GMA News