Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno on Tuesday acknowledged that the P6.9 million alleged cash advance of retired Philippine National Police (PNP) comptroller Eliseo dela Paz was "not covered by the authority" he issued for the travel expenses and allowances of the 8-man PNP delegation.

"It's large so I don't know what contingencies they were anticipating," he told ANC's Top Story. "It was not covered by the authority I issued, which was for per diem and travel cost."

Puno said he only authorized the release of P2.3 million for the 8-man PNP delegation's participation in the October 7 to 10 Interpol assembly in Russia.

However, since dela Paz was the PNP comptroller, Puno said he was "entitled to a cash advance" within a certain limit, but this should have been authorized.

Puno said an internal investigation will be conducted by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to determine if the "cash advances have any basis, who authorized the cash advance, what contingencies were acticipated."

Puno also defended the presence of dela Paz at the Interpol assembly even if he would already have retired from service during his scheduled return to the Philippines on October 11. 

"The Interpol meeting was on financial and program plans. Since he was comptroller, there was reason for him to go," he said.

Puno said the 105,000 euros have been wired directly to the PNP "instead of giving it back to dela Paz, which he was entitled to."

"The PNP is going to open a special account to receive the funds that will be wired back from Russia. It will be a trust liability account to determine which account it will go back to but officially accredited as a PNP account," he said.

Puno said dela Paz will be probed by the Ombudsman for "criminal liability" while the Senate will investigate the incident for purposes of legislation.

He said dela Paz is "still accountable to the PNP and has not been cleared", and "his retirement pay is still hanging."

"Nobody is ever exempt from criminal liability...we will study and see where his liabilities are," Puno said.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said it was clear from dela Paz's explanation that the P6.9 million came from the PNP directorate for comptrollership's P10 million bond.

He said the only problem is dela Paz's failure to declare the amount when he entered Russia. --with a report from GUS ABELGAS, ABS-CBN News