Dela Paz: Moscow incident 'unfortunate' for PNP
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/15/2008 11:14 AM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
The "euro generals" scandal in Moscow, Russia last month was a "most unfortunate" incident for the Philippine National Police, retired PNP comptroller Eliseo dela Paz said Saturday.
"No amount of wealth can be more than what I want to bequeath to my family. The Moscow incident was an unfortunate incident for me, and to the institution, the PNP, which I chose to serve on its creation," dela Paz told members of the Senate foreign relations committee led by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago.
Dela Paz, whose career lapsed into retirement while he was in Russia, said he will not "throw away" the decades of military and police service just because of the incident.
"They are my only legacy, together with my unsullied name and reputation, that I can bequeath to my family, my loving wife, three daughters, and a visually-impaired son," said dela Paz, who faced the Senate panel along with PNP chief Director General Jesus Versoza.
At the same time, dela Paz explained the reason for the delay of his surrender, saying that it should not be taken as an affront to the committee's processes.
"I got to know about the order of arrest a day after its issuance, to media reports to the province where I was, since I was visiting a sister who has been ill, I did not proceed to this House soon enough in order to spend a little more time with her," he said.
On Friday, the former PNP comptroller voluntarily surrendered to the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, three days after the order of arrest was issued by the Senate.
Meanwhile, dela Paz said that the euros confiscated by Russian officials will be returned to the PNP "in due time," saying that there will be no loss to the government.
"I apologized to the Filipino people in my arrival statement, and I reiterate the same," he said.
For her part, Santiago said that there is no legal basis for dela Paz to carry a "contingency fund" for international travel.
This was seconded by Reynaldo Villar of the Commission on Audit.
It was learned that only P2.3 million in funds were authorized for the trip to the 77th International Police General Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The P6.9 million worth of euros seized from dela Paz at the Moscow international airport, meanwhile, was not authorized, according to a report by the PNP's fact-finding body.
Others invited
Apart from dela Paz, who is now under the custody of the Senate, 24 others were summoned for the hearing, including Verzosa, retired director Rolando Garcia of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime; Deputy Director General Ismael Rafanan deputy chief for operations; Deputy Director General Emmanuel Carta, deputy chief for administration; Director Romeo Ricardo, director for plans; Silverio Alarcio Jr, director for operations; Chief Superintendent Raul Bacalzo, director of the PNP Investigation and Detective Management; and retired Director Jaime Caringal, former regional director for Zamboanga Peninsula.
Also invited are Senior Superintendent Tomas Rentoy III, chief of the PNP budget division, who released the P6.93 million to dela Paz; Director Edgardo Acuňa of the PNP personnel and records management; Director German Doria Supt Elmer Pellobello; Nixon Dizon of PCTC, and the wives of Dela Paz and Versoza. Doria issued the guidelines on foreign travel while Acuña issued the travel authority.
Source of funds
The testimonies of the police officials, especially those who were involved in the release of the funds, are expected to shed light on the source of the money.
Dela Paz and Versoza have issued conflicting statements about the source of the money confiscated from Dela Paz.
Dela Paz claimed that the money was “cash advance” for “emergency cases” of the PNP delegation that attended the Interpol meet in St. Petersburg. Versoza, however, said the money was for intelligence purposes and was intended for the purchase of intelligence equipment.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, meanwhile, had said that he did not authorize the release of the funds but said the money was contingency fund for the group.
The Senate panel also invited Tyrone Arejola, a Chinese businessman friend of dela Paz, who allegedly gave him 45,000 euros and asked the former comptroller to buy him two designer watches from Europe.
PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said they are unaware of the 45,000 euros that dela Paz carried for Arejola. With a report from Jesus F. Llanto, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak
