Retired National Police comptroller Eliseo dela Paz on Tuesday admitted the lapses he committed and apologized for the "international embarrassment" he caused for failing to report that he was carrying an excessive amount of money while leaving Russia on October 11.

 

“I offer no excuse for that lapse, and can only say that I regret having been remiss in my obligations as a departing visitor in Russia in inadvertently failing to report to airport authorities the amount of cash in my possession..,” dela Paz said before members of media in Saisaki restaurant in San Juan City.

 

“I take full responsibility for this lapse that has undeservedly led to a negative public perception of the institution that I hold so dearly and have served faithfully and honestly through all these years,” he said.

 

The retired PNP comptroller also apologized for the “international embarrassment” caused by this lapse.

 

Dela Paz made his public appearance hours after his arrival in Manila from Moscow, Russia, where he was held for possession of 105,000 euros (nearly P7 million). The amount found exceeded the limit of cash that would be carried by departing passengers based on Russian customs regulations.

 

"I apologize deeply to our people and the government for the untoward incident at the Moscow international airport, that last week touched of an international embarrassment for our country,” the retired police official said.

 

While saying he won’t offer an excuse for being forgetful of a foreign law, which he admitted that he should have known as he is a senior law enforcement official, dela Paz said the week-long International Police assembly and the “typical bustle” at the Moscow airport “apparently taken taken their toll on me.”

 

 

Dela Paz denied suspicions that he was supposed to launder or smuggle the money out of Russia.

 

He said the money was part of the “cash advance” he made to the PNP for the finances of the PNP delegation to the Interpol meeting.

 

“As police comptroller and special disbursing officer of the top-level Philippine delegation that attended the international gathering I took out from my authorized P10 million cash advance bonded authority the amount of P6.93 million which I converted into P105,000 euros as the standby revolving fund for our official travel,” said dela Paz

 

He said that the standby fund was set aside to cover contingencies such as medical emergencies that might involve the country’s delegates to the international assembly.

 

He insisted however that there was no unnecessary spending that was conducted by the delegates during the event.

 

“I assure you that while our standby fund would seem large by the average standards prudence have governed our expenditures and the liquidation report that I will be submitting soon for scrutiny and approval of officials auditors will bear me out,” said dela Paz.

 

 

Dela Paz admitted that the experience he had in Russia was personally “doubly discomforting and upsetting” as he said that “as a person devoted to law enforcement for almost 37 years I should be the one setting an example in abiding by official rules and regulations whether here or abroad.

 

“Deep in my heart I know that I have done neither anything illegal or abuse any of my positions throughout my career let alone these last few days in office,” said former police director whjo retired from active service while he was in Russia.

 

Dela Paz said he is ready to face investigations at the Senate to fully explain the lapses he made and finally give closure to questions about the amount of cash he was carrying out of Russia.

 

“I am ready and willing to face any investigation as I have nothing to hide,” said dela Paz.

 

“I rest my case to the fact that the Moscow authorities allowed me last week to return to our country as they have ascertained based on the documents presented to them that the money in my possession was acquired legally and was for a legitimate purpose,” said dela Paz .

 

He said he welcomes the Senate investigation and said that if invited, he would attend.

 

The former top PNP official also said he would present himself to the Ombudsman on Wednesday.

 

“I’ll take initiative to present myself to Ombudsman to clarify whatever needs to be clarified at that office,” said dela Paz.

 

 

The former National Police comptroller also slammed insinuations that the top police officials who attended the Interpol assembly only went on a “junket”.

 

“It is unfair for certain quarters to deride the Interpol event as a mere junket as we have gone there to express our country's support for new initiatives such as the newly-launched global security initiative or GSI for the 21st  century,” said dela Paz. 

 

He said the Philippine delegation expressed solidarity with the rest of the region on the election as the new president of Interpol who is from Singapore. The Interpol Web site identified its new president as Khoo Boon Hui.

 

Dela Paz said the general assembly “cannot just be attended by minor officials and junior officers” as he said it was an annual conference hosted by the world's biggest international police organizations.

 

He also said the event “provided us with a splendid opportunity to strengthen our relations with other police organizations and strike new partnerships with new allies with the war on global terrorism and transnational crimes.”