General Purisima's palusot sa luho

I have a friend, now a general at the Philippine National Police, living in one of the condo quarters inside Camp Crame. He's one helluva guy, a very principled one. He's the top graduate of his class. For his principles, he sacrificed most of his life. That explains why, inspite of his brilliance, his promotion got stuck somewhere.

He is one of the cops I truly admired mostly because he lives based on his means and never got involved in any anomalous transaction. He accepted the hazards of being a cop and likewise, that of getting a low pay inspite of having eight kids.

Now, I really don't know what he thinks of what is happening to his chief, PNP Director Alan Purisima, who is now being accused of graft and corruption and of "not living within his means."

I don't know what he thinks of Purisima, his senior at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Ironic, my friend fought for the country in 1989 while Purisima was there inside, defeating the aristocratic family in power at that time.

That probably explains why Purisima is wealthy beyond his means right now, a reward for being a lapdog of the rich and (in)famous.

While most cops suffer from many things, and that includes medical assistance in times of sickness or injury, here you are, their "Chief" spending 11 million just to build and refurbish the quarters of the PNP chief.

Instead of asking his friends from the construction business to just give their monies to refurbish or build a more modern PNP hospital, Purisima instead requested that his quarters be given the "luxuries"

President Pnoy, in his defense of his beleaguered PNP chief and "long-time friend", describes him as "hindi maluho". Well, probably Pnoy was right.

For Pnoy, who lived in luxury for all his life, considers Purisima's "lifestyle" as "simple" because what is so "luxurious" with having a Prado, a LandCruiser, several other SUVs, land properties and all? That's not living "in luxury" because Pnoy was accustomed to having more of this stuff.

Purisima remains adamant--he will not give up his post. He stays as chief of the PNP probably until his retirement in November of 2015. This despite calls from various sectors, including that of former PNP chief Panfilo Lacson, for him to consider retirement.

As what Pnoy said in his SONA speech, " saan kumukuha ng kapal ng mukha itong mga ito." (Where do these people get this callousness?").

Now, I say, where do your friends Mr. President get the callousness and of being thick skinned inspite of being criticized mostly by the people? Answer---it is from you, Mr. President.

We have a saying---when one ignores the sins of a friend, it is as if, one has tolerated his erring ways. Yes, Mr. President, you probably did not enrich yourself while sitting there in your office in Malacanan, but your friends are doing you and the people a great disservice by enriching themselves beyond measure while in power.