Ombudsman to check assets of PNP chief's wife, children

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has expanded its lifestyle check on Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima to the members of his family in light of the controversy surrounding his four-hectare real estate property in Nueva Ecija.

Deputy Ombudsman for military and other law enforcement offices (MOLEO) Cyril Ramos said the income of Purisima’s family will also be examined to determine if the top police official's assets corresponds to his family's income.

Ramos said the lifestyle check will focus on the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) submitted by the PNP chief.

“As part of the lifestyle check, we will make use of the SALN of Gen. Purisima. We will look into the SALN to determine if there are properties or assets which have been acquired illegally or illegal wealth as the case maybe,” Ramos said during the Senate's hearing on the Office of the Ombudsman's budget for 2015.

The assets and income of the members of Purisima’s family will also be scrutinized to determine the family’s lawful income, Ramos told reporters after the Senate hearing on the Ombudsman’s budget for 2015.

“Sa pag-determine po ng lawful income eh baka naman po may lawful income po yung spouse at saka yung mga anak. So yung pangkalahatan po ng mga ari-arian ay maaring nanggaling din po sa lawful income ng kanilang pamilya. Kaya titingnan po rin yun,” Ramos explained.

Based on his SALN, Purisima is married to Ma. Ramona Lydia Purisima with whom he has four sons. In his 2013 SALN, Purisima's total assets reached P17.264 million while his liabilities reached P10.7 million, making his net worth at P6.563 million.

Ramos said the lifestyle check is different from the one being conducted by the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“The Ombudsman has the mandate to conduct [lifestylye checks] motu propio or upon anonymous complaints,” he said.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said her office is not setting any deadline on the lifestyle checks and the review of the plunder cases against the PNP chief to avoid any pressure on their investigators.

"If you set a deadline, and you cant make it, and then you are forced to file a case even if there is no probable cause. So there is no deadline. But we are trying to speed up all these things in the light of the fact that there are so many controversies around," she said.