Tuesday, November 04, 2008 8 'euro-generals' return travel money
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday that all eight police officers who traveled to Russia to represent the PNP in the 77th Interpol General Assembly have returned the cash advances they received to the PNP Finance Service.
PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said Police Deputy Director General Emmanuel Carta, Police Director Romeo Ricardo, Police Director Jaime Caringal, and retired Police Director Eliseo dela Paz each turned over P274,070 cash to special disbursing officer, Superintendent Samuel Rodriguez on Tuesday.
Bartolome also said Deputy Director General Ismael Rafanan returned P74,000 with a promissory note to return the balance of P200,070 within the month. Senior Superintendent Elmer Pelovello, meanwhile, refunded P150,000 to Rodriguez under a similar partial payment scheme.
"The amount represents the cash advances that each of these officers received from Rodriguez for their travel expenses while on official mission to Russia," said Bartolome.
PNP chief Jesus Verzosa had ordered each of the eight police officers to return the entire amount received from the PNP Finance Service that was used in the official travel.
Last week, Police Director German Doria returned the partial amount of P100,000 while Police Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. returned the full amount of 274,070 to Rodriguez.
"Should anyone of them feel they are entitled to reimbursement of the travel expenses, they may file the corresponding claims following the normal accounting and auditing procedures," said Verzosa.
Bartolome clarified that the eight officers were ordered to refund the cash advances they made after the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management found that "the procedure involved in the release of these funds is questionable."
Bartolome also clarified that the P274,070 that each member of the eight-man PNP delegation received in the form of cash advances is not part of the 105,000 Euros that the PNP is awaiting to be returned via wire transfer by Russian customs authorities, which is expected to arrive anytime within the week. (VR/Sunnex)
