PNP Officer(s) Russia scandal!

**Zeus** · October 21st, 2008 01:09 PM

Miriam: PNP men could've been planning to launder 105,00 euros

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/21/2008 9:51 AM

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said on Tuesday that she is almost certain that retired Philippine National Police comptroller Eliseo dela Paz and other top PNP officials were going to launder the 105,000 euros (nearly P7 million) before they were caught in Moscow, Russia.
"They were going to launder the money, which means, that is illicit money not contingency fund or cash advance," Santiago told ABS-CBN's morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda" on Tuesday.
She added: "They intend to go to a finance center maybe Hong Kong or Dubai or Singapore. They have to change planes there because they will deposit the money there."
She said dela Paz, who was scheduled to arrive back in Manila Tuesday afternoon, and the other police officials who attended the 77th International Police (Interpol) Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia, did not bring travel checks or financial documents from banks because "they did not want a paper trail."
"What kind of reason is that at this day and age, even [people] in barrios know that there are money transfers and everything is already computerized. Why would you bring cash?" she said.
The hard-hitting senator was reacting to Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno and the PNP leadership's statements that the money seized from dela Paz at the Moscow international airport was "cash advance" and "contingency fund" for the police delegation to the Interpol meet.
Dela Paz and his wife, who was actually carrying the cash, were prevented by customs officials from leaving the Russian airport after the discovery of the cash.
Late last week, the Russian authorities eportedly cleared dela Paz and his wife from suspicions that the money was illicit. This was after the PNP and the Philippine embassy in Moscow showed the Russian authorities documents that prove the money came from the Philippines and that it was for the Interpol meet.
Senate probe
Santiago has set a Thursday hearing to probe the big amount of cash brought by dela Paz in Russia.
Santiago, Senate foreign relations committee chairwoman, said she wants to know the nature of the cash that was carried by Dela Paz.
The Russian officials at Moscow international airport said the former police official exceeded the limit for cash for departing passengers. Departing passengers are only allowed to carry $10,000.
Dela Paz was the disbursement officer for the PNP delegation. He was included in the delegation even as he will retire from the police service during the international conference.
“Kung nanggaling ‘yan sa ating budget, krimen ‘yun. Malversation of public fund., kung galing ‘yan sa pribado, di ibig sabihin krimen din ‘yun, dahil that is a crime of extortion (If it came from the budget, that is a crime. Malversation of public fund. If its private [money], it’s also a crime because that is crime of extortion),” said Santiago.
Lifestyle check
Santiago also slammed the police officials for bringing their wives along to the international assembly, which was held in St Petersburg.
“Sarili man nilang pera, saan nila kinuha? Magkano ba’ng suweldo nila talaga? Dahil nga sa personal kong karansan, di makakayanan na magbiyahe din ang asawa sa official travel dahil napakagastos (Even it is their own money, where did they get this? How much really are their salaries? Because in my personal experience, it’s difficult to take your spouse on official travel because it’s very costly),” said Santiago.
Santiago said that she wants a lifestyle check conducted on all the police officials who were part of the delegation to the Interpol general assembly.
In her proposed resolution, Santiago said “the PNP delegates’ wives’ travel expenses should also be revealed, including the source of their money, and if such is within the limit of their income."
Santiago also was irritated as she said that Puno and top national police officials, including PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, had virtually absolved dela Paz.
“Kagaguhan na lang talaga ang pinagsasabi nila. Hindi na sila nahiya sa mga sarili nila na sabihin nila sa TV at nakikinig ang mga edukadong Pilipino (What they are saying is really rubbish. Aren’t they personally embarrassed at what they are saying on TV an heard by the educated Filipinos)?” said Santiago.
Santiago said that Puno himself may be in cahoots with Verzosa after the Cabinet official immediately absolved dela Paz and the police officials.
“Malamang, sa halip na imbestigahin niya, ipinagtanggol niya. Eh ka bago-bagong naupo niyang Police Chief na ‘yan. Mukhang napakalapit ni Secretary Puno dito kay PNP chief na ito, General Verzosa. Anong pinagsamahan nitong dalawa? (Instead of ordering an investigation, he may defend him. He is a new police chief. It seems to me that Secretary Puno is very close to General Versoza. Do they have a past?)” said Santiago.
The Senate is set to issue a subpoena to dela Paz and other members of the police delegation to Russia as well as Puno and Verzosa.
Santiago warned them not to disregard the subpoena or she would have the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms arrest them.

as of 10/21/2008 10:04 AM

They got lots of explainning to do when they return

**budo** · October 21st, 2008 04:03 PM

They better explain that especially to the low ranking men and women of the PNP who:

- don't even have guns
- can't get even descent loans for their immediate needs
- retired officers who are having a hard time getting their retirement benefits
- who don't have a home
- who can't even avail of travel allowances (or even get training abroad)
- don't have mobile police cars to man the streets

Tsk... moderate your greed!

**Gerbo** · October 21st, 2008 10:59 PM

Whatever they term it "cash advance", "contingency funds".....huli!

Another comptroller...this time sa PNP...It seems there is no end to this...How can you show good examples to the men on the ground when the higher-ups are doing shenanigans. The soft approach by the so-called authorities do speak "cover up". Appeasement to the generals...

Pilipinas is getting hopeless by the day. So much dirt we need moral cleansing na.

**yapoy86** · October 21st, 2008 11:18 PM

maybe we need WAR para talagang cleansed.... tamang tama nag hahamon ang MILF ng ubusan ng lahi...

si Gen. VERSOZA newly installed PNP chief eh may controversy agad... sana nag pakita sya na "in-control" sya at kinastigo agad si Gen. Dela Paz eh kaso pinagtanggol at pinagtakpan pa!!

dami na talaga ma angas dito sa Pinas.. gusto lang yung POWER pero yung ayaw ng RESPONSIBILITY...

OT: sa kalsada lang dami mga maangas na Private vehicles na may pa wang-wang pa at gusto ata maging pulis sana pumasok na lang sila sa PNP or donate nila mga SUV nila tutal may wang-wang na sila...Gusto nila yung POWER ng pulis ayaw naman maging Pulis...

**chua_riwap** · October 21st, 2008 11:32 PM

Tama ba narinig ko.....si Verzosa di kasama pero yung wife niya kasama sa entourage?

Kapal!

**my4tuner** · October 22nd, 2008 03:01 AM

what's new with government. Lagina lang corrupt. Pakapalan na lang ngayon. Kapal ng mga pulis na yan na nasa rango. Sobra kumurakot. Contigency fund, kapal 7million pesos at kasama ang mga asawa. Sobra yata yan sa kakapalan. Baka misis ng mga official e may pang-shopping pa at pasalubong sa mga pamilya nila, pagbalik dio sa pinas.

I just hate this officials who splurge our money which is highly taken from all sorts of tax, which is not enjoyed by many. Kaya ang Pilipinas lalong naghihirap sa corrupt at kapal ng mukha ng taong maimpluwensya sa gobyerno.

**vinrem** · October 22nd, 2008 08:41 AM

Hay government official pa, eh sa tingin ko mga kakapal na ng mukha nyan. 7M pesos ay pocket money pa lang yan, di pa kasali mga plane tickets ng mga yan, baka lahat ng entourage eh nasa business or 1st class section pa

!!!
kaya nga pahirap ng pahirap ang buhay ng bawat pinoy kasi yung gobyerno natin eh wla nang paki-alam sa taong bayan, they are only thinking kung ano ang mananakaw nila.

**Zeus** · October 22nd, 2008 11:41 PM

Siguro live coverage na naman iyan sa Senado bukas

Mukhang problemado ang mukha ni Dela Paz

**hein** · October 23rd, 2008 12:44 AM

In the US, you can already be charged with MONEY LAUNDERING. In the Pilipins, gobyerno pa ang nagbibigay ng excuses. JEEEZ.

**CVT** · October 23rd, 2008 11:39 AM

Saan ka naman nakakita ng contingency fund na di hamak na mas malaki pa sa actual budget??? At, di ba't limited ka lang sa US$10K palabas ng bansa?

6808:frenchyf1: