The Court of Appeals has reinstated two high-ranking police officials to the previous posts who were earlier ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the P100-million anomalous contract with Werfast Documentation Agency Inc. which provides courier services for renewal of firearms for licenses.
In a 13-page decision, CA’s Special Eleventh Division through Associate Justice Pablito Perez overturned and set aside the June 25, 2015 consolidated decision of the Ombudsman, which found substantial evidence against Supt. Lenbell Fabia, former Assistant Chief of the Firearms Licensing Division-Firearms and Explosives Office, and Chief Insp. Sonia Calixto, former chief of Permits and Other Licenses Section of the FLD for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, and serious dishonesty.
The anti-graft body’s consolidated decision also covered other respondents: Former PNP chief Alan Purisima, former Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta and former FEO officials Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles, Sr. Supt. Allan Parreño, Sr. Supt. Eduardo Acierto, Sr. Supt. Melchor Reyes, Chief Insp. Nelson Bautista, Chief Insp. Ricardo Zapata Jr., Senior Insp. Ford Tuazon.
The Ombudsman ordered them dismissed from the service and forfeiture of their retirement benefits and barred from being reemployed in government.
Earlier, CA affirmed the dismissal of Purisima while clearing and ordering the reinstatement of Petrasanta, Bautista, Zapata, Acierto and Parreño.
In granting the petition for review filed by Fabia and Calixto, the CA held there was no conspiracy on the part of the two along with the other respondents who have been cleared by the CA to dupe the government by entering into an anomalous contract with Werfast.
The CA agreed with Fabia and Calixto’s claim their only involvement in the alleged conspiracy to favor Werfast was their designation as members of the FEO-Courier Services Accreditation Board.
They stressed the PNP’s transactions with Werfast started before they became part of the FEO-CSB and that their accreditation of Werfast was in compliance with the accreditation policy.