Court issues hold departure order vs Purisima, Napeñas

MANILA, Philippines – The anti-graft court ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) not to allow retired police generals Alan Purisima and Getulio Napeñas to leave the country pending the criminal charges filed against them.

In an order dated January 27, the Sandiganbayan’s 4th division told the BI to “bar/prohibit” the two from leaving the Philippines without written permission from the court.

Purisima faces criminal charges for his involvement in the Mamasapano operation at a time when he was under preventive suspension for graft charges over a courier contract mess in the PNP under his term. Napeñas was also charged with the same for allowing Purisima’s participation despite his knowledge of the suspension.

The botched operation in January 2015 killed 67 Filipinos, including 44 members of the elite Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police.

Purisima, Napeñas and former President Benigno Aquino III also face a homicide complaint filed by families of some of the slain SAF cops. The complaint is under preliminary investigation by the Ombudsman.

The charges against Purisima and Napeñas were filed in court only 7 months after Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved the filing. Morales has already issued a show cause order to the former chief records officer of the Office of the Special Prosecutor for the delay.

Purisima posted bail on January 30. – Rappler.com