Would-be PNP chief appeals firing
A DISMISSED police official has appealed his dismissal before the Court of Appeals (CA), citing his innocence and a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” he will miss if kicked out of Camp Crame.
Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta, former head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office, asserted that the alleged shady P100-million firearms licenses courier service deal with a firm called Werfast Documentary Services Inc. was above-board.
He also denied colluding with other PNP officers to give preferential treatment to controversial courier service contractor Werfast, saying he defied “mounting pressures” from former PNP Chief Alan Purisima to finalize the deal.
Petrasanta is known to be in the running for the next PNP chief, even as he has secured the endorsement of House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
Along with Purisima and nine other police officials, Petrasanta was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman over the 2011 Werfast deal.
“It is very clear that Ombudsman grossly misappreciated the facts and evidence on record in holding petitioner administratively liable and dismissing him from service. Given this, it is not only proper but a matter of necessity for the Court of Appeals to step in to correct the manifest injustice,” read Petrasanta’s 44page petition, a copy of which reached reporters yesterday.
He cited why the Ombudsman’s June 25 order for his dismissal, along with Purisima and nine other police officers, was “a serious and reversible error.”
The Ombudsman had dismissed the men for entering into an anomalous contract with Werfast four years ago, saying they had disregarded criteria despite the firm’s lack of track record in the courier business and lack of accreditation by the Department of Science and Technology.
“The right [to security of tenure] is being stripped from him at the prime time of his career, when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for career advancement is knocking at his doorsteps. He is now being imposed the ultimate and harshest penalty that may be meted upon a government employee— the dismissal from service,” he said in his petition.
In a petition for review filed on Thursday, Petrasanta asked the CA to invalidate his expulsion from the PNP.
He also asked the appellate court to dismiss for “utter lack of factual and legal merit” administrative charges that led to the Ombudsman’s order, including grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and serious dishonesty.
Petrasanta also asked the court to issue an immediate temporary restraining order, a status quo ante order and/or a writ of preliminary injunction to stop his dismissal.
In the petition, Petrasanta impleaded Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and officials of the Fact-finding Investigation Bureau of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices.
“If only the Ombudsman had taken a closer look at [facts surrounding the contract], she could have easily concluded that all the actions of petitioner in accrediting Werfast were in fact in accordance with the law,” said Petrasanta’s plea.
According to the petition, it was Petrasanta who made sure Werfast met all criteria under procurement requirements. “It was petitioner who made sure that the accreditation of Werfast was in accordance with the needed safeguards under the law,” it said.
“Given the fact that Werfast was clearly qualified for accreditation and that interim accreditation was allowed, it was utterly wrong for the Ombudsman to conclude in the assailed consolidated decision that the accreditation of Werfast was unqualified and not interim,” the petition said.
Petrasanta also made reference to receiving pressure from Purisima to give Werfast preferential treatment.
“Despite the clear mandate of PNP Chief Purisima, petitioner did not give in to the pressures of the higher officials and, in fact, defied this by making sure that the accreditation of Werfast is not mandatory and exclusive,” said the petition.