Sandiganbayan issues hold departure on Purisima, Napenas

February 3, 2017

A division of the Philippine anti-graft court ordered the Bureau of Immigration not to allow two former police officials charged with graft and usurpation of powers for their role in the 2015 Mamasapano anti-terror operation to leave the country.

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division gave the order on Friday to “bar/prohibit” from leaving the country former Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisma and Getulio Napenas, ex-director of the Special Action Force.

The court said Purisima and Napenas need to secure permission to leave.

The order was signed by fourth division chairperson Justice Alex Quiroz and Associate Justices Reynaldo Cruz and Zaldy Trespeces. The Bureau of Immigration is given 15 days “to report its compliance in writing.”

Purisima and Napeñas were charged by the Ombudsman on January 24, on the eve of the second anniversary of the incident that resulted in the deaths of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano. DMS