Taking their oath before speaking at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano incident are PDDG. Leonardo Espina, Officer-in-Charge of the Philippine National Police, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to stay in the United States of America for more than three weeks to visit his son.
In a three-page motion filed with the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, Purisima asked the anti-graft court to allow him to travel to USA from September 5 to 27.
Purisima said he intends to visit his son who is studying at the Culinary Institute of America in California.
Purisima said he, together with his family, has already booked their tickets for the travel as early as March of this year even before a graft case was filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman in May.
“Section 6, Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the right of every individuals to travel shall not be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety or public health,” Purisima’s motion read.
“Accused Purisima humbly submits that his travel abroad does not, in any means, impair the interest of national security, public safety or public health,” it added.
Purisima said he is also willing to post a travel bond that the court may fix as a precondition for his request and as an assurance of his return to the country.
The graft case against Purisima stemmed from the alleged anomalous contract that the PNP entered into with the courier service company Werfast Documentary Agency, Inc. 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.
The Sixth Division had earlier issued a Hold Departure Order (HDO) against Purisima and his 16 co-accused to bar them from leaving the country except when there is a prior approval by the court. (MNS)