Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has dismissed a request from the Philippine National Police chief to hold an executive session in place of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations into the "euro generals" incident in Moscow, Russia involving high-ranking officials of the PNP.

"The Committee on Foreign Relations denies your request to go into executive session, because there is no indication that your interrogation as a witness endangers national security," Santiago said in a letter addressed to PNP chief Director General Jesus Versoza on Saturday.

In her letter, the senator criticized Versoza for coming up with the idea of an executive session when he failed to explain how P6.9 million worth of euros was found undeclared in the possession of retired PNP comptroller Eliseo dela Paz at the Moscow international airport on October 11.

"Under oath, you testified that you did not know about the P6.9 million cash carried out of the country by PNP Comptroller Eliseo dela Paz.  I understand that you are now requesting for an executive session in order to explain the purpose for which the cash was allegedly intended," Santiago said.

She also said that with his request, Versoza contradicted himself. She added that the request was "based on sham and frivolous grounds."

On Friday, Versoza said that the P6.9 million in cash advance given to dela Paz came from the PNP's intelligence fund allocated for the purchase of intelligence-gathering equipment.

A letter submitted by Verzosa to the Senate said dela Paz obtained the P6.930 million cash advance from PNP's intelligence fund "which he [dela Paz] processed before my assumption of office as PNP Chief."

Verzosa officially took over the top PNP post on September 27, replacing retired Director General Avelino Razon Jr.

"The cash advance was secured by him from P/Supt. Samuel Rodriguez, the Disbursing Officer for the Directorate for Intelligence through P/SSupt. Tomas Rentoy, Chief, Budget Division, Directorate for Comptrollership. The funds are intended for possible purchase of intelligence equipment and similar products," said Verzosa in a letter addressed to Sen. Manuel Roxas.

P400 million for intel gear

A check on the 2008 General Appropriations Act showed that the PNP had a total budget of P40.7 billion for this year, of which P434,339,000 is allocated for PNP intelligence services including conduct of intelligence and counterintelligence activities nationwide.

The PNP chief has ordered Rentoy's suspension pending a full investigation on the allegedly irregular disbursement of the PNP funds.

A source told ABS-CBN News that Rentoy was named to the post last October 1. His appointment paper was allegedly signed by dela Paz's successor, Chief Superintendent Romeo Hilomen.

"Presently, it is Rentoy who gave the cash advance to dela Paz and we still have to wait the statements that are now being given to the investigating body," Verzosa said.

The PNP chief clarified that only Rentoy and dela Paz are being investigated by the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, which is headed by Chief Superintendent Raul Bacalzo. He said he had ordered the DIDM to finish the investigation as soon as possible so he can submit the results to the Senate on Monday.

Verzosa also requested for an executive session in the next Senate hearing on the PNP cash disbursement, which is scheduled on Monday. "An executive session is necessary because of the security implications of the circumstances surrounding the incident," he said in the letter to Roxas. 

The source of the 105,000 euros or P6.9 million cash has been in doubt after Russian customs authorities discovered the undeclared cash on dela Paz and his wife as they were boarding a Manila-bound plane in Moscow last October 11.

Dela Paz has insisted that the P6.9 million found on his person was a contingency fund for the PNP delegation there. Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson has pointed out that there is no item for a contingency fund in the PNP budget this year.