‘Friend’ says Purisima’s accuser a political operator

MANILA, Philippines - A “friend” of Perfecto Jaime Tagalog, the principal accuser of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima, disclosed yesterday that he is a political operator in the employ of a politician in Central Luzon.

In an interview with The STAR, the friend expressed doubts on Tagalog’s motive in hurling the allegations against Purisima.

“Why is he doing this?” he asked. “I have nothing against Perf. What bothered me is his motive.” 

He said that he decided to come out to warn the public and members of the media about Tagalog’s exposé through his Coalition for Filipino Consumers. The exposé is being done in the guise of public service and concern for the PNP, he added.

Tagalog’s friend agreed to an interview with The STAR in Quezon City yesterday afternoon. He said he would not earn anything from what he is doing.

He said he knew Tagalog very well, and that both of them have done several “special ops” for some politicians in Bulacan.

“I have come out to inform the public that Perf (Tagalog) is not what they perceive,” he said in Filipino. “He is an operator for a politician in Central Luzon. As I know, he had done PR for politicians, a political operator.”

He said he was surprised to see Tagalog becoming a national figure.

“He didn’t come out on many issues concerning consumers like skyrocketing prices and the MRT,” he said. “To my surprise, all of a sudden, he has all the details. We political operators don’t have that capability. But he’s organized, he even has a powerpoint.”

People associated with Purisima are not orchestrating his coming out against Tagalog, he added.

The friend said the last time  they met, Tagalog asked for a “raket,” Filipino slang for a money-making venture.

He warned the media against taking Tagalog’s exposé as gospel truth and cautioned them to look into his motive.

He refused to say who would benefit from Tagalog’s exposé, though he could sense that it could divert attention from certain issues or force Purisima to leave office ahead of his retirement on Nov. 21, 2015.  – With Mayen Jaymalin, Aurea Calica