The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former PNP (Philippine National Police) Chief Alan Purisima and 16 other individuals in connection with a graft case involving the controversial contract with Werfast Documentation Agency, Inc. back in 2011.
The decision, handed down by the Sixth Division led by Justice Sarah Fernandez, emphasized that the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to the court, the prosecution did not sufficiently demonstrate a conspiracy or any violation of the law between the PNP officials and Werfast. Consequently, no civil liability was imposed, and hold-departure orders against the accused were lifted.
The case stemmed from an investigation by the Ombudsman, which revealed that the PNP engaged Werfast to deliver firearms license cards to registered gun owners through a Memorandum of Agreement in May 2011. Werfast lacked a proven track record as a courier service, and no public bidding was conducted for the contract. Furthermore, it was discovered that Werfast profited P190 per delivery in Metro Manila, while other courier service providers charged only P90 for the same service.
While the Sandiganbayan acknowledged the questionable aspects of the contract, it stressed that mere suspicion was not enough to convict the accused. Solid evidence was required to prove their guilt, which the prosecution purportedly failed to provide. This raises questions about the quality of the investigation and the evidence presented by the Ombudsman.
Included among the accused were other former PNP officials such as Napoleon Estilles, Gil Meneses, and Raul Petrasanta, as well as the incorporators of Werfast. All of them have been acquitted in the case.
This decision is likely to spark debate and criticism, especially from those pushing for transparency and accountability in the government. However, the Sandiganbayan has emphasized that its decision was based on the law and the evidence presented before it. The acquittal underscores the challenges in prosecuting complex corruption cases and the importance of thorough investigation and solid evidence.
