PNP dismisses reports of cops selling firearms to NPA as ‘hearsay,’ ‘speculation’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 9): PNP dismisses reports of cops selling firearms to NPA as ‘hearsay,’ ‘speculation’
Is it just tittle-tattle?

The Philippine National Police (PNP) dismissed as “mere hearsay and speculations” on Monday, the allegations against ranking police officials implicated in the questionable sale of over P52 million worth of assault rifles to communist rebels.

PNP Director General Alan Purisima came to the defense of 19 police personnel, among them four active police generals, who were identified in the investigation of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) as responsible for the alleged irregularity.

Purisima noted that businessman Isidro Lozada, who supposedly admitted facilitating the anomalous arms deal, had yet to submit a sworn affidavit to the CIDG.

Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP spokesperson, described as “premature” the statement of CIDG chief Director Benjamin Magalong linking the police officials in the purchase of 1,004 AK-47 rifles by the New People’s Army (NPA) from 2011 to 2013.

“In the absence of any hard evidence, these are mere speculations and hearsay,” Sindac quoted Purisima as saying.

“The information (the CIDG gathered) should be translated to evidence first before anyone makes any statement about this matter. Although he’s conducting the investigation, what we have are… just speculations of Magalong,” Sindac argued.

Speaking in a news briefing at Camp Crame last week, Magalong disclosed that several PNP personnel, including Chief Supt. Raul Petransanta, the Central Luzon police director, could be held liable for the sale of the high-powered firearms to NPA rebels.

The CIDG chief also admitted it was only Lozada who facilitated the importation and registration of the guns with the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office at Camp Crame and that he did not directly deal with any police official.

He, however, said the firearms could not have ended in the hands of the communist insurgents had the PNP officials examined the documents diligently.

Lozada’s admission was supported by the military’s recovery of AK-47 assault rifles from the NPA rebels during recent encounters in Mindanao, Magalong said.

He said the CIDG was preparing to file cases of graft and of violating the law against illegal firearms against Petrasanta et al. and 10 other private individuals.

But Sindac insisted that the CIDG had yet to conclude its investigation into the matter, saying some of the PNP personnel who had been identified by Magalong “may or may not be held liable” for Lozada’s anomalous transaction.

“The investigation is still on going. What we are looking into is the whole process (of firearms registration) and where the irregularities may have been committed,” he said.

Sindac, who was present at Magalong’s press conference, maintained the PNP was not trying to protect the supposed erring police officers, but “just want to put things in proper order.”

“It’s premature, it’s too early to make such pronouncement at this point in time,” Sindac said.

He said the PNP would not tolerate the wrongdoings of any of its personnel, including Petrasanta who has been touted as the next chief of the 148,000-strong force after Purisima’s retirement in November 2015.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/609852/pnp-dismisses-reports-of-cops-selling-firearms-to-npa-as-hearsay-speculation