FORMER Pangasinan Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco believes Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima should stay for being competent in his job.

In a live national television interview on Viewpoints earlier this month at Solar News Channel hosted by Rod Nepomuceno, Cojuangco said Purisima is very close to retirement and has few months only left in his post. “If he takes a leave now, it’s tantamount to him giving up the completion of whatever  it is that he has set in motion to institute at PNP before he retires”.

Cojuangco, citing his close friend’s experience whose own family fell victim to a kidnapping syndicate in the past and needed a competent police, said Purisima was there for them.

Cojuangco, son of business tycoon former ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., was referring to the family of Rosendo So, president of Eastern Pangasinan Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“He produced (the kidnap victim), he was honest, he did not take any money,” Cojuangco said.

Former Pangasinan fifth district Rep. Mark Cojuangco fields questions during a television show “Opposing Views” with fellow guest lawyer Lorna Kapunan on the topic “Should PNP chief Alan Purisima resign over alleged corruption issues?”. The show was hosted by Rod Nepomuceno.

Cojuangco also said that the documents needed for Purisima’s investigation are not even with the police and could be sourced out from other agencies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue, thus he sees no need for him to take a leave of absence.

Purisima is under fire for the so-called White House at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame where he allegedly accepted P11-million as donation for its construction, his alleged mansion house in Nueva Ecija and for getting a huge discount for a luxury vehicle he purchased from a dealership in Pampanga.

“Just because it is a news report (about Purisima’s corruption issues) and when I saw the house I said what’s so spectacular about this house,” he said.

He added there are much nicer houses in his (Cojuangco’s) province in Pangasinan that are owned by Overseas Filipino Workers.

“If we rock the boat too much we’re going to upset continuity of whatever reforms that are being made in the PNP,” Cojuangco said.

Meanwhile, Rosendo So, president of Eastern Pangasinan Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, earlier said in a statement that, “We believe that Gen. Alan Purisima is not guilty. He can explain everything before a proper forum,” So said.

So added that many people want Purisima out as PNP chief because of his efforts to clean the police ranks.

So recalled how Purisima was very effective as head of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) from 2002-2003.

“He helped so many kidnap victims, including my own family,” So said.

Purisima eventually served as head of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force Strike Force from 2003 to 2005.

“Gen. Purisima’s record must be good then that when he was to be relieved as provincial director, five of the six congressmen and 43 mayors from Pangasinan signed a letter of appeal to then PNP chief Police Director General Oscar Calderon for Purisima’s retention, citing his accomplishments in resolving big time criminalities,” So said.

“The accomplishments included the simultaneous drug buy-busts, illegal firearms and illegal gambling operations in Urdaneta City, and the arrest of a suspected leader of a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate in Bolinao,” he added.

In their petition-letter dated February 9, 2007, the mayors said “Pangasinan feels secure under the care and leadership of Purisima thus we highly support his stay in the province until his two year tour of duty ends in June.”

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