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"Iyon nga ang medyo naging lapse, hindi nai-declare. Hindi niya nalaman na dapat i-declare (That was the lapse, he failed to declare the cash when he entered Russia. He didn't know that it should be declared)," Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal, Zamboanga police regional director, told ABS-CBN New Channel.

 

Caringal was among the police officials stranded in Moscow after retired Director Eliseo dela Paz, former Philippine National Police (PNP) comptroller, was held for questioning by the customs officials at the airport.

 

Dela Paz and his wife were briefly held for questioning after Russian customs officials detected that he was carrying 120,00 euros (roughly P7.5 million), which was way too big from the allowable amount of $10,000 (roughly 7,365 euros) for each airline passenger.

 

Caringal said that either Dela Paz forgot to declare the amount or he did not heed the constant reminders of airline employees to passengers that they should declare the cash they were carrying if it was bigger than the allowable cash.

 

"Alam mo naman na kahit may warning, may iba na hindi sumusunod. On the part of General Dela Paz siguro, nakalimutan lang niya (You know that there are some people who disregard warnings. On the part of General Dela Paz, maybe it just slipped his mind)," the police official added.

 

The police official clarified that Dela Paz was only held for several hours. He was released after producing the proper documentation for the money, which was later revealed to other members of the PNP delegation as the group's contingency fund.

 

He said Dela Paz was stopped by the customs officials last October 11, while boarding for their flight back to the Philippines. Dela Paz and the other top PNP officials attended the three-day International Police Assembly in Petersburg, which started October 7.

 

 

Caringal said Dela Paz is being addressed in news reports as a former comptroller director because he had already retired from the service. 

 

He left the country for the Interpol assembly as an active official, and then retired October 9.

 

Asked who authorized Dela Paz to join the delegation and act as the budget officer, Caringal said "it's not for me to question the wisdom of the decision of the national headquarters."

 

Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, PNP spokesman, told radio dzMM that Dela Paz was acting as the delegation's budget officer.

 

Bartolome said the PNP has completed the documentation for the cash advance made by Dela Paz for the Interpol assembly.

 

He said that in due time, the PNP will be able to explain to the public the full details of the excessive amount being carried by Dela Paz.

 

 

Earlier reports said the whole PNP contingent to the Interpol assembly opted to accompany Dela Paz and help him explain to Russian authorities why he was carrying the excessive amount.

 

Caringal said their visas expired last October 11 and they will have to wait for the extension of their visas before finally leaving Russia.

 

The other members of the delegation were Deputy Chief for Administration Deputy Director General Emmanuel Carta, Deputy Chief of Operations Deputy Director General Ismael Rafanan, Director for Plans Director Romeo Ricardo, Human Resource and Doctrine Development Director German Doria, Director for Operations Director Silverio Alarcio, and Superintendent Elmer Pelobello.

 

There were reports that the other police officials who attended the Interpol assembly brought with them their wives. 

 

Caringal said it took Dela Paz more than the usual time to explain the amount because the customs investigators asked him to submit the documents of the 120,00 euros in the Russian language.

 

Caringal said the Philippine Embassy in Moscow had to hire translators for this purpose. He said the translation may be finished on Wednesday.

as of 10/15/2008 1:25 PM

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