NAPOLCOM made recommendations to ensure that the incident in Russia will not happen again

Miami
November 11, 2008
Story: NAPOLCOM made recommendations to ensure that the incident in Russia will not happen again

The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) already made recommendations that would ensure that the incident in Moscow will not happen again.

The NAPOLCOM made its recommendation in relation to the release of money of P6.930 million pesos that was used as “contingency funds.” The NAPOLCOM formed an ad hoc committee last October 31 and their report was submitted last November 6.

The ad hoc committee was task to investigate the unauthorized or irregular handling of the fund of P6.930 million cash advance made by PNP ex-comptroller Police Director Eliseo dela Paz and P2.1 million travel allowance.

On the recommendations, the NAPOLCOM wants dela Paz to explain “how the P6.9 million was drawn from the PNP fund and provide the NAPOLCOM with appropriate supporting documentation showing that the fund was properly released.”

The NAPOLCOM is also directing the PNP Finance Service to hold the retirement benefits of dela Paz and those who are part of the delegation, “All retirement benefits of the officers that have retired are being held pending the completion of all this things. There were already two officers that were affected here, dela Paz and (former Regional Director of Police Regional Office 9 Police Director Jaime) Caringal. But the principal involved here is dela paz because of the amount of money he took out from intelligence fund, P6.9 million,” NAPOLCOM Chair Ronaldo Puno said.

The ad hoc committee of the NAPOLCOM also recommends lifestyle check on the PNP delegation to Russia including private individuals who join them. Vice-Chair of the NAPOLCOM Hon. Eduardo Escueta said, “Lifestyle check will be conducted by NAPOLCOM will be guided with the result of the continuing investigation that we are now having and it would be principally conducted on members of delegation and any private individuals includes Tyrone Ng-Arejola also.”

Arejola is the friend of dela Paz who admits that he gave money amounting to 45,000 euros to buy him watch a Roger Dubuis Bi-Retro Chrono Perpetual Calendar and/ or an IWC Portuguese Chrono watch in white gold casing in Vienna, Austria.

“When you do lifestyle check the wives might also be investigated,” Escueta added.

He also said there are certain rules to be follow on doing lifestyle check they might also ask permission from the Court in able to check the bank accounts of the general delegates.

Based on their observations also, it said that it is unusual that the delegates drew their approved travel expenses and allowance (P274,070 each delegate) from the Intelligence fund of the PNP rather than from the programmed travel allocation for the Interpol Conference.

Puno also explained, once a person is travelling and given cash advance, the delegates really do not know where the money came from. “You take it for granted that it would come from maintenance and operating expenses under travel. What happened here, the account did not say maintenance and operations expenses travel, what was drawn for is from intelligence fund, so there is something wrong there, because this is a normal travel why would you withdraw from intelligence expenses.”

Because of what happened the recommendation also stated, “The NAPOLCOM shall formulate and issue the appropriate policy or standard on foreign travels and entitlement thereto that will prevent the repetition of the incident in question.”

Escueta added that there will be no time table in doing the lifestyle check.

Meanwhile, the PNP welcomes and “will abide” on the recommendations of the NAPOLCOM to conduct lifestyle check on members of the PNP delegation.