PNP chief defends courier service: 'Negosyo yan eh'

MANILA - "Negosyo yan eh." With these words, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima expressed support for a delivery firm that bagged a multimillion contract to deliver firearms licenses all over the country. In a press briefing, Purisima defended Werfast Documentary Agency's higher fees to deliver firearms licenses to gun owners. Lawyer Rod Moreno, vice president of Gun Owners Against Congressional Tyranny, earlier said Werfast charges P190 courier fee for Metro Manila deliveries and P290 courier fee for the provinces. "Negosyo yan e. Kung ikaw ay nag ne-negosyo, kailangan kumita ka. Am I right? Ngayon, yung sinasabi ninyong diskarte nila, I do not know because I am not Werfast. Ang importante lang sa akin ay makarating yung lisensya sa bahay at sa tamang tao," Purisima said. Purisima earlier ordered the closure of satellite offices of the Civil Security Group (CSG) tasked to process the licensing of firearms across the country. Gun owners will now have to troop to the PNP's headquarters in Camp Crame for license renewal and other processes, while their license cards will be delivered by Werfast to their respective homes. This policy was implemented to ensure that the gun owners are really living in the addresses they indicated in their application forms. Chief Superintendent Raul D. Petrasanta, former chief of the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office, has called the attention of Werfast after he found out that the firm was merely using the service of another courier firm, LBC, to deliver the license cards. [USING THE SERVICE - http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/03/06/14/firearms-license-delivery-firm-scored-exorbitant-fees] A Philippine Daily Inquirer report said LBC only charges P90 per delivery, which means that Werfast earns the P100 without having to make the deliveries. The PDI report also said Werfast bagged the delivery contract in May 25, 2011, three months before the company was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In a press briefing, Purisima said he is standing by their decision to centralize gun licensing in the country. He said the old system has led to the proliferation of loose firearms with some applicants registering false addresses and contact numbers. He said gun owners who fail to indicate their real addresses are to blame in the delays of the deliveries of the gun licenses. "Minabuti natin na i-deliver yung mga lisensiya. Maraming umaangal, bakit? Kasi gusto nila i-deliver kung saan-saan lang yung mga lisensiya nila o kaya fictitious yung mga pangalan, pati mukha fictitious rin," he said. -- With ANC