Civil Service Commission sees discrepancies in PNP chief's SALN

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) found some discrepancies in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of Philippine National Police's chief Director General Alan Purisima, GMA 7 news program “24 Oras” reported Friday.



According to the CSC, the properties Purisima listed in his SALN had incomplete addresses. Only the town and province were included.

"Ang SALN is an instrument of transparency. Kapag sinabing transparency, wala kang tinatago at pwedeng tignan ng publiko," explained CSC Assistant commissioner Atty. Ariel Ronquillo.

Aside from the incomplete addresses, there was also a possible misdeclaration in Purisima's SALN. In his 2012 SALN, the PNP chief said that he has two car loans from a bank. One was for a Hyundai Starex worth P1.3 million and the other was for a Toyota Hilux worth P1.4 million.

But, in his 2013 SALN, the amount of liabilities of these car loans remained the same.

If there were misdeclarations, both CSC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) are ready to take action.

Ronquillo said that if misdeclaration was proven, the CSC can press charges for the violation of Republic Act No. 6713 and dishonesty for not telling the truth in the SALN.

BIR Legal and Inspection Group head Deputy Commissioner Estela Valdez-Sales, meanwhile, said, "If eventually nga na there is finding that there are indications of tax evasion, there is no reason why the BIR won't investigate also."

Consumers' rights organization Coalition of Filipino Consumers had been the first to accuse Purisima of misdeclaring his assets on his SALN, filing plunder, bribery, and graft charges against the PNP chief over his alleged mansion in Nueva Ecija and the supposed renovation of his official residence inside Camp Crame.

‘In good faith’

Meanwhile, PNP Public Information Office head Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, argued that the PNP chief should be given a chance to explain himself when he returns from his official overseas trip. Sindac said that they believe Purisima had submitted his SALN "in good faith."

President Benigno Aquino III himself had earlier vouched for Purisima, as thay had first met in 1987 and got to know Purisima as "a man of good character."

But Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the President would reserve his judgment until Purisima responds to the accusations.

Presidential assistant for rehabilitation and recovery, and a former PNP chief himself, Panfilo Lacson, meantime, suggested that Purisima and the President should sit down and talk about the allegations.

And if they are untrue, then it should be explained to the public.

Otherwise, Lacson said, "Wala nang ibang choice kundi i-spare niya ang Pangulo sa mga problema na hinaharap niya at siya na mismo ang mag-offer na kundi magbakasyon, mag-resign na as chief PNP."

Motives questioned

Amid the accusations against Purisima, two self-identified political operators faced the PNP press corps and questioned the motives of their former colleague political consultant Perfecto Jaime Tagalog, who is the secretary general of Coalition of Filipino Consumers that filed cases against the PNP chief.

“Kaya nga nandito kami, ine-expose namin yung kanyang pagkatao,” said a one of the disguised operators. “Racket-racket lang, sir.”

Tagalog denied that he had other motives in filing the cases, and that the charges against Purisima had nothing to do with his being a political consultant.

“Simpleng panawagan lang, po, kasi namin,” said Tagalog. “Hindi lang sumagot si chief PNP agad-agad. It's been three months kami nagantay ng kanyang sagot.

“Meron na siyang SALN na lumabas, kung saan, lalong nag-contradict doon sa kanyang ari-arian.” — Tricia Macas/DVM, GMA News