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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
‘Euro general’ apologizes on cash mess
MANILA -– A former top police official, who was arrested in Russia on suspicion of smuggling cash, publicly apologized to the Filipino people Tuesday for bringing the Philippines into disrepute.
But Eliseo de la Paz, a financial comptroller at the Philippine National Police (PNP) until his retirement last week, denied any wrongdoing as he returned from Moscow to face Congress and the press over the scandal.
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"I apologized deeply to our people and to our government for the untoward incident at the Moscow International Airport that last week touched off an international embarrassment for our country," dela Paz told reporters in a press conference hours after he arrived in Manila.
Dela Paz and his wife were held briefly at the Moscow airport after yielding an excessive amount of travelling money worth 105,000 euros (P6.9 million) in his possession while about to return to Manila on October 11.
The retired police official headed a top-level PNP delegation to the Interpol Assembly from October 7 to 10 at Saint Petersburg in Russia.
"I apologize to my fellow delegates to the Interpol conference for having put them in an awkward position as a result of my misstep. The events of the past week are certainly something that one wouldn't wish to cap his last working days with," said dela Paz.
Dela Paz said he regretted his decision not to declare the cash he was carrying. He said the cash represents the cash advance for the PNP delegation to the 77th Interpol General Conference.
“I offer no excuse for that lapse, and can only say that I regret having been remiss in my obligations as a departing visitor in Russia in inadvertently failing to report to airport authorities the amount of cash in my possession at that time,” dela Paz said.
“I take full responsibility for this lapse that has undeservedly led to a negative public perception of the institution that I hold so dearly and have served faithfully and honestly through all these years,” he told reporters.
“Deep in my heart I know that I have neither done anything illegal or abused any of my positions throughout my career, let alone during these last few days in office,” he added.
Dela Paz insisted the money was a “cash advance” drawn from PNP coffers to cover contingencies during the group’s nearly week-long visit to Russia, which he described as an “expensive country.”
He said the trip was “not a junket” but failed to explain why the officers took their wives with them and why he himself was sent there even though he would reach mandatory retirement age during the trip.
Moscow’s customs police detained the eight officers on October 11 for carrying an undeclared amount in excess of $10,000.
The group was later released to the Philippine embassy in Moscow and some members flew home last week, but de la Paz and another officer stayed behind to try to recover the money.
PNP Chief Jesus Versoza, meanwhile, appealed to all sectors to spare those who have nothing to do with the controversy that has hounded dela Paz.
"Please don't drag those who are innocent," said Versoza, adding that the PNP is willing to face investigation in connection with the mess.
The National Police Commission (Napolcom) is looking into the controversy.
Napolcom vice chairman Eduardo Esqueta said dela Paz has a lot of explaining to do about the incident.
Aside from Napolcom, the Office of the Ombudsman, Congress, and the Commission on Audit (COA) will conduct their own investigations.
Malacañang, for its part, dismissed any need to invoke executive privilege and bar officials of the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) from attending inquiries into the so-called "Euro Generals" mess.
"DILG Secretary (Ronaldo) Puno will take care of it," said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita when asked in a radio interview if the executive privilege or Executive Order (EO) 464 would be invoked.
Under EO 464, members of the executive branch, including ranking members of the police and military, are required to seek permission from Malacañang before attending any public hearings.
Ermita believed that the police generals included in the delegation to Saint Petersburg should explain the issue. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (October 22, 2008 issue)
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