Alan Purisima kin formed firm to sell guns to AFP, PNP

The wife and son of suspended Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima are incorporators of a company that aims to supply firearms and ammunition to various law enforcement agencies, including the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Bureau of Investigation.

Based on documents submitted by the company to the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ma Ramona Lydia Purisima and Eumir Von Andrei Purisima are among the incorporators of JH&A Innovative Manufacturing Corporation. The company was incorporated on February 7, 2005.

Co-incorporators are Alma Ebdane, the wife of former PNP chief Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., a certain Jonathan Yu and Lilibeth Yu.

Alan Purisima signed as witness in the incorporation papers.

An anti-corruption watchdog group saw a case of conflict of interest in Purisima and Ebdane's involvement in the business that sought to deal with the law enforcement agencies.

GMA News is still trying to get the reaction of Purisima's camp.

In 2005, Ebdane was the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways. He is now the governor of Zambales.

Purisima was then head of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, and later, became the Provincial Director of Pangasinan Police.

He was appointed by President Benigno Aquino as PNP Director General in December 2012.

In December last year, the Ombudsman ordered a six-month preventive suspension against Purisima and other PNP personnel as they faced administrative charges for an allegedly anomalous delivery contract.

Firearms business

The Articles of Incorporation of the JH&A showed that its primary purpose was to “manufacture, refurbish, and rebuild quality firearms and ammunition to be sold primarily to the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), other law enforcement agencies of the government and to local government units.”

JH&A’s nature was also “to fabricate quality spare parts and accessories for all types of firearms to be sold to the military, police, and other law enforcement agencies above mentioned, and to licensed firearm distributors.”

In an interview with GMA News, Transparency and Accountability Network executive director Vicente Lazatin said that establishing the agency alone was already a conflict of interest.

“For them to put up a company with the intent of bidding for government contracts—malabo yun,” Lazatin said.

“If you just connect the dots, it is very easy to see that there's something amiss with that. You put up a company that provides this kind of service with these kinds of goods and intend to bid for government contracts, while your husbands are in active service in government in related fields,” he added.

Filed at the SEC are the general information sheets (GIS) of JH&A for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. The last GIS showed that Mrs. Ebdane owned 33.33% of the company while Mrs. Purisima owned 30%. Purisima’s son had 3.34% ownership.

Jonathan Yu owned 25% while Lilibeth Yu had 8.33% to her name.

The 2008 GIS showed as well that Mrs Ebdane was Chairman of the Board, Mrs Purisima the Corporate Secretary and her son was a member of the board.

Gov. Ebdane confirmed that he knew JH&A.

“Way back, a few years ago, meron akong kaibigan, si Jonathan Yu, na nagusap kami dahil marunong sa technical yun. Nagusap kami na magtayo ng company,” Ebdane said. “Kung kaya magtayo ng marangal na hanap buhay, bakit hindi.”

He said there’s nothing wrong with his wife’s involvement in the company.

“Ang masasabi ko dyan, ever since na natayo iyan, there was no transaction with the PNP,” Ebdane added.

Based on latest SEC records, the company has been operating up to 2013. It is not clear, however, if Mrs Ebdane, Mrs Purisima and her son Eumir are still part owners of the company up to this time because it has been deficient in the filing of its annual GIS.

In Purisima’s 2012 and 2013 Statements of Liabilities and Net Worth, J&HA was not among the business connections declared by the suspended PNP chief.

GMA News Research has yet to obtain copies of his earlier SALNs.

Doing business with government

The Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act states that the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) or the Chief of the PNP approves or disapproves application for license to manufacture or deal in firearms and ammunition.

License to deal in firearms, parts of firearms, ammunition and gun repair should be secured from the head of PNP, while the license to manufacture firearms should be acquired from the secretary of DILG.

The government procurement law says bidders with relations to the head of the procuring entity within the third civil degree of consanguinity or affinity are automatically disqualified to ink contracts with the said entity.

A sworn affidavit declaring non-relation is a requirement from the bidder. Failure to submit such affidavit would mean automatic disqualification.

In an interview with GMA News, AFP Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr said that as far as he knows, JH&A has not had any transaction with the AFP.

GMA News is still trying to get supplier information from the PNP and NBI.

Tracking the incorporators

GMA News’ Maki Pulido failed to find the JH&A in its registered address in Quezon City; residents in the area were not aware of the existence of the company.

A caretaker was at the declared address of Mrs. Purisima, but did not know who the owner of the house is.

GMA News cannot find the declared address of the other incorporators, also in Quezon City. – with reports from Maki Pulido