Appear in probe, De la Paz urged

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa advised retired police comptroller Eliseo de la Paz to attend the Senate hearing tomorrow and clarify the issues behind the undeclared 105,000 euros.

“I encourage De la Paz and the other concerned police officials to go to the Senate and cooperate with the investigation,” said Verzosa yesterday when he met with executives and editors of The STAR.

He called on the police officials to explain their side to the senators investigating the so-called “euro generals” who were mired in controversy after De la Paz and his wife Maria Fe were held at the Moscow airport last Oct. 11 for carrying undeclared cash amounting to 105,000 euros or P6.9 million, after they attended the 77th International Police (Interpol) General Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The other police officials in the PNP delegation to the Interpol meeting were Deputy Directors General Emmanuel Carta, Ismael Rafanan, Directors Romeo Ricardo, Silverio Alarcio, German Doria and Jaime Caringal, Superintendent Elmer Pelobello, the aide of the delegation.

Verzosa, who like De la Paz is a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1976, said concerned police officials should use the Senate hearing to clear their names.

He said that the PNP had received reports that De la Paz is now in his hometown in Tubao, La Union.

“I don’t have direct contact with Gen. De la Paz right now but we are in contact with his lawyer,” Verzosa said.

Verzosa assured the senators that if De la Paz does not attend the public hearing, the police would assist the Senate sergeant-at-arms in enforcing the warrant of arrest recently issued against the retired police comptroller.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) had included De la Paz in their watch list to prevent him from slipping out of the country.

De la Paz had already sent surrender feelers to the Senate last Wednesday, a day after Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. signed the arrest order against him for snubbing the hearing on the controversy.

Sources close to De la Paz told The STAR that the former police official is now ready to testify before the Senate to clarify the issue.

De la Paz’s lawyer Noel Malaya assured the senators that his client would attend the Senate hearing on Saturday.

Malaya gave a 99.9 percent assurance that the retired police official will go to Senate and abide with the order and cooperate in the investigation.

“Definitely we will show up at the Senate. I’m coordinating with them so that once De la Paz arrives here we will go there. We will go to them,” Malaya told reporters in an interview in Pasig City. “As of our last communication two or three days ago, De la Paz is still in the province. And he is now on his way back.”

The House of Representatives will start on Nov. 19 its own investigation on the euro generals.

Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, chairman of the committee on public order and safety, said the probe was initially canceled due to the lack of proper authorization, because it could not be referred to the rules committee as Congress was still in recess.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said the House should push through with its cancelled investigation.

He said that the return of the travel allowance of the euro generals raised more questions than answers, which makes it imperative for the House committee on public order and safety to conduct an inquiry. – With Delon Porcalla, Christina Mendez