Sandiganbayan issues HDO vs. ex-PNP chief Purisima, 16 others

The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan on Monday directed the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to prevent former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima and 16 other individuals from leaving the country in connection with their graft case, which stemmed from the allegedly anomalous courier service deal.

In a hold departure order (HDO) issued by the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, it said Purisima and his co-accused must be “barred from leaving the country except upon prior approval from this Court”.

Aside from Purisima also barred from leaving the country were:

• former Civil Service Security Group chief Gil Meneses
• former Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) chief Napoleon Estilles
• former FEO chief Raul Petrasanta
• former FEO assistant chief Allan Parreño
• former FEO Firearms and Licensing Division (FLD) chief Eduardo Acierto
• former FEO FLD assistant chief Lenbel Fabia
• former FEO Education and Enforcement Management Division chief Melchor Reyes
• former FEO, FLD section chief Sonia Calixto
• former FEO Inspection and Enforcement (I&E) Section chief Nelson Bautista
• former I&E assistant chief Ricardo Zapata Jr.
• Servicing Legal Officer Ford Tuazon

The Ombudsman earlier ordered the dismissal of Purisima and his co-accused police officials from the PNP for administrative offenses also in connection with the courier service anomaly.

Also included in the HDO were five private individuals who were incorporators of the courier service company Werfast Documentary Agency, Inc., namely:

• Mario Juan
• Salud Bautista
• Enrique Valerio
• Lorna Perena
• Juliana Pasia

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan last May 6, the graft case stemmed from the courier service contract that the PNP entered into with Werfast in 2011 for the delivery of firearms licenses of applicants.

Based on the information of the case, the contract was awarded to Werfast without holding a public bidding and despite the company’s supposed lack of track record and qualifications as a courier service firm.

The Ombudsman said Werfast was not yet registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) when the contract was entered in May 2011. The Ombudsman said the company was also not authorized by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to offer courier delivery service.

In an omnibus motion filed before the court, Purisima asked the court to dismiss the case claiming that the Ombudsman failed to back the allegation with evidence. —ALG, GMA News