SENATOR Sergio Osmeña III vowed on Thursday to push for an investigation of former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima, a close friend of President Benigno Aquino III, over alleged collection of P1 billion from earnings from casino.
During the regular Senate media forum, Osmeña said he will ask Blue Ribbon committee chairperson Senator Teofisto Guingona III to look into the report that the First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corp. released from January 2012 to June 2015 more than P937 million in 41 receipts to “Alan La Madrid Purisima.”
The fund was to benefit the Philippine Sports Commission as mandated by Republic Act 6847, which gives it five percent of the gross earnings of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
But Osmeña said he cannot see any reason for Purisima to be taking charge of its collections since the PNP has nothing to do with it.
“What has the PNP to do with the casino collections?” he asked. He said there is more reason for the investigation of this issue because Purisima is very close to the President.
He said the matter is “very suspicious.” “We are all aware that the President and Purisima are very protective of each other,” said Osmeña.
Still, Osmeña believes no amount went to the President as his interests are only guns and women.
The Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs found the President “ultimately responsible” for the death of 44 Special Action Force members in the Mamasapano incident when it allowed Purisima, then suspended from the PNP over graft charges, to take command of the ill-fated Oplan Exodus.
Oplan Exodus was the covert police operation in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao, to get Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and his Filipino henchman, Basit Usman.
Malacañang earlier challenged those who have evidence that Purisima embezzled public funds from the casino should file charges. He said they can bring the matter to the Ombudsman for proper assessment.