PNP probes missing papal visit funds

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina has ordered an investigation of reports that some of the money meant for the allowance of police officers directly involved in securing Pope Francis’ visit is missing, an official said yesterday.

“We received information that the amount supposedly given to the police officers involved was incomplete. But again may I emphasize these are information allegations that needs to be looked into,” PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said in a briefing.

Mayor noted that the official concerned would be given the chance to explain why some police officers were only given P700 each, or less than one-third of the P2,400 allowance they were supposed to receive for securing the pope from Jan. 15 to 19.

He did not name the official.

“The bottomline is that the allowance should be given to the police officers, who stood in the rain and under the sun. They deserve that,” he said.

The PNP said about 28,000 police officers were deployed to secure the pope and the areas he visited in Pasay, Manila and Tacloban.

The PNP leadership has yet to state the total amount the police force spent during the five-day visit.

Mayor said the PNP footed the bill for three meals a day for each police officer, their accommodations, gasoline and other miscellaneous expenses during the papal visit.