CA keeps Delfin Lee in jail
MANILA — The Court of Appeals 1st Division yesterday junked businessman Delfin Lee’s petition to be released from police custody as he questioned the legal basis for his arrest.
The appellate court rejected Lee’s five-page urgent petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which argued that the arrest warrant issued by the Pampanga Regional Trial Court was recalled in November 2013.
Lee faces charges of syndicated estafa for allegedly defrauding the Pag-IBIG Fund of P6.6 billion through “double-selling” of houses in Pampanga. He was nabbed in a hotel in Manila last Thursday, ending his two years of hiding.
The CA decision came after the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order on Wednesday against the appellate court’s earlier motion to lift Lee’s case and arrest warrant.
The CA summoned the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to bring Lee before the court on Wednesday. It also ordered the agencies to justify Lee’s detention.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima clarified yesterday that the relief of the head of the task force that captured Lee is a promotion.
During a press conference at the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Purisima said the order for the relief of Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa of Task Force Tugis and transfer to Police Regional Office-7 in Cebu is actually a promotion, which may pave the way for his getting a starrank title.
Capa will be assigned as the Deputy Regional Director for Operations (DRDO) of PRO-7.
“The reason for his relief is a promotion for him. Kasi lahat ngayon ng naghe- heneral ay dumadaan sa DRDO position... inaalis na po natin yung from nowhere nagiging heneral na lang. So kailangan magdaan sila sa DRDO position para matuto sila sa gawaing pulis lalo na sa mga regional headquarters,” Purisima said.
When asked if Capa’s relief was connected with his phone conversation with Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali, Purisima said he would ask the TF Tugis head if he wants to stay with the unit.
“Tanonging natin si Col. Capa kung gusto niyang bumalik sa Task Force Tugis, ibabalik ko sya kasi magtagal mapu- promote na naman sya eh,” he said.
“Actually, he was due, long overdue for that position... kaya para mabigyan sila ng pagkakataon na mapu- promote further in the near future kapag magkakaroon na ng bakante. This qualifies him to become an ex-O, to become the regional director for administration. So isang hakbang na lang magiging star-ranked officer na si Senior Superintendent Capa,” the PNP chief said.
With Capa’s relief, Purisima assured that the work of task group, created to get high profile fugitives in the country, will continue.
“Col. Capa is not Task Force Tugis. Mas maraming po yung tao na nasa ibaba nya na nagtatrabaho. Alisin mo man si Col. Capa na walang lider ngayon dun, nagtatrabaho pa rin yung mga tao. Ganun po ang kapulisan. Si Col. Capa lang ang nakikita nyo dahil sya ang humaharap dahil sya yung lider pero ang talagang nagtatrabaho nyan ay yung mga pulis sa ibaba. Sila ang nabababad sa lansangan. Sila ang nag su- surveillance 24 hours. Hindi natin sila kilala at yan ay bibigyan natin ng angkop na reward pagdating ng araw,” Purisima.
Purisima said he will act temporarily as TF Tugis head to fill in Capa’s relief. (Philippine STAR News Service)