MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has barred former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima and former police Special Action Force (SAF) director Getulio Napeñas Jr. from going abroad pending resolution of graft charges filed against them in connection with the January 2015 operation that led to the death of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

A hold departure order (HDO) was issued by the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division, which directed the Bureau of Immigration to stop Purisima and Napeñas from leaving the Philippines.

“The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is hereby directed to bar/prohibit the above-named accused from leaving the Philippines for any destination abroad, either by air or sea transportation, except by prior written permission duly secured from and granted by this Court,” according to the HDO issued last Jan. 27.

The court said the BI must immediately include Purisima’s and Napeñas’ names in its hold departure list. The BI was directed to report to the court its compliance with the order within 15 days.

A copy of the HDO signed by Fourth Division chairman Associate Justice Alex Quiroz, member Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz and sitting member Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses was released to the media yesterday.

Purisima and Napeñas are each facing one count of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count of usurpation of official functions under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code.

Purisima has posted P20,000 bail for both cases, while Napeñas told reporters that he is set to file a motion for judicial determination of probable cause to pray for the cases’ dismissal.

The charges stemmed from the two former police officials’ involvement in the Jan. 25, 2015 Mamasapano incident, which left over 60 people, including 44 SAF troopers, dead.?Based on the information of the cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman a day before the second anniversary of the bloody incident, Purisima and Napeñas violated the PNP chain of command by keeping then acting PNP chief Leonardo Espina and then interior secretary Manuel Roxas II in the dark about Oplan Exodus, the covert SAF operation to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and Filipino bombmaker Abdul Basit Usman.?

Purisima was at the time under preventive suspension by the ombudsman in connection with an alleged anomalous courier service deal for the delivery of firearms licenses.?

The ombudsman said that “during the period of Purisima’s suspension, he had no authority to perform the duties and functions, much less supervise and/or participate in the conceptualization, mission planning and execution, of a high-risk police operation.”?

“Purisima, then the chief of the PNP, induced Napeñas who as well allowed himself to be persuaded to violate the PNP chain of command and the preventive suspension order issued by the ombudsman as well as then PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina’s order to cease and desist from performing functions of their respective offices,” the charge sheets read.?– With Evelyn Macairan