Nueva Ecija property just an ordinary house, PNP chief Purisima insists

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima on Thursday defended his P3.7-million property in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, insisting that there was nothing extravagant about the 4.7-hectare lot.

“Hindi po siya mansion. Ordinaryong bahay lang po siya na pina-improve lang namin ng paunti-unti over the years,” Purisima said in a press conference held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Purisima was referring to a 204-square meter house on the controversial property.

Purisima said reports and commentaries about his property were malicious. He particularly slammed media personalities from ABS-CBN Network for allegedly being biased in reports about the property.

“Ang masama po sa aerial shot ay hindi niyo makikita ang totoong nasa ibaba. Iyan po ang isa pang pagkakamali ng nagpresenta ng property ko. Ang dami daw structures komo nakita nga sa aerial shot na maraming bubong,” Purisima said.

Purisima particularly denied an ABS-CBN report saying that his San Leonardo property has an Olympic-size swimming pool, several buildings and a very high gate to shield the property from the passersby.

Purisima explained that the total floor area of the main house is only 204 sq.m. and that based on the latest assessment, its fair market value is just P2.3 million.

Purisima said that the whole property can only be worth P3 million to P4 million.

“Ang total floor area po ng aking bahay ay 204 square meters lamang po kasama na ang attic po roon...Diyan pa lang po, makikita na malayong malayo maging mansion o villa ang aking bahay,” Purisima said.

He said that aside from the main house, the property only includes a gazebo made of old nipa, a garage, a guardhouse, which also functions as a guest house and a small swimming pool.

Purisima said that assessment by the Nueva Ecija Assessor’s Office valued the gazebo value at P17,890, the garage at P52,630 and the guardhouse at P510,420.

No Olympic pool

“This is not even 10 percent of the size an Olympic swimming pool which is at 50 meters by 215 meters,” Purisima said of the 7.5m x 15m pool on his property.

“Sa photo naman po ng bakod namin, maliwanag na hindi siya mataas sa tao at kitang kita ang buong kalooban (ng property),” Purisima added.

The groups Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC) and the Volunteer Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) had earlier separately filed graft, bribery and plunder charges against Purisima for his San Leonardo mansion and his alleged “White House” residence in Camp Crame, among others.

The groups alleged that Purisima was not being truthful in his 2012 and 2013 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) which say that his property in San Leonardo was only acquired for P1.2 million in 2002 and that its present market value is only at P3.75 million.

At the same briefing, Purisima thanked President Benigno Aquino III, who has vouched for his integrity.

“Una sa lahat, ako’y nagpapasalamat sa tiwala at suporta ng ating mahal na Pangulo,” Purisima said.

“His Excellency, kahit kalian po hindi ko sinira ang tiwala ninyo sa akin. Asahan ninyong sa mga panahong darating, lalo pa naming paiigtingin ang tiwala ninyo at ng buong sambayanan sa inyong lingkod at sa buong Philipppine National Police,” he added. — Elizabeth Marcelo/JDS, GMA News