PNP mum about reports that Russian authorities summons Verzosa’s wife and Caringal on their own undeclared excess money that they brought

Miami
November 5, 2008
Story: PNP mum about reports that Russian authorities summons Verzosa’s wife and Caringal on their own undeclared excess money that they brought

The Philippine National Police is keeping mum about the reports that the Russian authorities has summoned Mrs. Cynthia Verzosa, the wife of PNP Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa and Reginal Director of Police Regional Office 9 Police Director Jaime Caringal.

PNP Spokesman Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said that they are not aware of the said summoned, “We have not seen the said communication yet and so we cannot react considering that we have not read its content. Probably when it gets to us, we can give you the appropriate reaction. But for now we have yet to receive said communication.”

The said letter of the Russian authorities was sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs dated October 31, 2008. The letter came from “Head deputy of customs on law enforcement, colonel of Customs Service S. V. Bityutsky.”

The letter states; “I would like also to inform you that the mentioned nationals (Cynthia Verzosa and Caringal) are required to come to the department of Administrative Investigation of Sheremetyevo Customs to give explanations for the violations of laws of the Russian Federation and let us make a decision if administrative offense case should be initiated (filing of report on administrative offense) on the ground of the paragraph 15 of the administrative offenses code of the Russian federation (AOC of Russia), because of the failure to declare foreign currency conveyed through the customs border of the Russian Federation that must be declared in written form.”

Bartolome evens aid that they will not coordinate on the Department of Foreign Affairs with regards to the letter because they do not receive any letter “What are we going to coordinate with them?”

In the letter of the Russian authorities it said that the Mrs. Verzosa and Caringal has to explain on failure to declare foreign currency exceeding its limit that entered their country, but on how much the money is, it is not mentioned.

It also said that the two, “They are asked to come on Nov. 13, 2008 at 12 noon to the following address Sheremetyevo Airport, Administrative Building og Sheremetyevoo Customs 3rd floor room 24324. They need to bring passports. The defender must have Power of Attorney.”

Bartolome said that the PNP cannot answer anything about it because they are not aware of the said letter.

Meanwhile, Bartolome also said that Caringal is not under their jurisdiction anymore because he is retiring from office effective November 5, “And so by said retirement, we cannot have jurisdiction anymore, in so far as answering any particular invitation or queries is concerned. The PNP will be very particular with those who are still within our jurisdiction.”

Caringal was replaced by Chief Supt. Angelo Sunglao former Chief of PNP Maritime Group.

With the invitation coming from the Russian authorities inviting Mrs. Verzosa and Caringal to answer some questions, it seems that it is not only retired Police Director Eliseo dela Paz carrying a huge amount of money.

It can be recalled that dela Paz was held in Moscow International Airport last October 11 for bringing undeclared 105 euros wherein the limit should be $10,000 only. It was also reported then that Caringal was left in Moscow to give support to dela Paz.

The money that was also reported to be wire-transfer from Moscow to PNP accounts has not yet been received by the PNP.