Verzosa: 'Contingency fund' not dirty money

MANILA Philippines – The controversial police contingency fund was sourced from the organization’s intelligence budget and part of the amount could be used to shop for high-end police gadgets, Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa claimed in a letter to Sen. Manuel Roxas II Friday. “It was established in the immediate through preliminary investigation that we conducted, that the cash advance of P6.930 million that P/Dir Eliseo de la Paz obtained was derived from PNP’s intelligence fund, which he processed before my assumption of office as PNP chief," part of PNP chief Jesus Verzosa’s letter said. “The funds are indicated for possible purchase of intelligence equipment and similar products," Verzosa added. GMA News obtained copies of the documents that the PNP sent to Moscow explaining that the money found in De la Paz’ possession was part of PNP budget. Despite the assurance of the PNP leadership that the P6.930-million “contingency fund" was above board, Verzosa said he wants the next Senate hearing on the “Euro generals" mess held away from the public eye, according to television report Friday. In the first hearing, police generals requested for an executive session but were spurned when Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relation, blew her top after learning that De la Paz snubbed the inquiry. Versoza said they would ask to the Senate for executive session in the next hearing. Meanwhile, the three documents obtained by GMA News indicated that the amount was De la Paz’s cash-advance to be used as contingency fund of the eight police officials who attended the Interpol conference in Moscow. Among the documents was the certification signed by Senior Supt. Tomas Rentoy III, chief budget division of the PNP, showing that the P6.930 million was a cash advance. Another certificate came from moneychanger shop, Pelisa Sakalura Enterprise, that showed the P6.930 million was changed to 105,000 euros. Sakalura’s letter was on October 3 but it was only notarized October 10, a report on News on Q said. The third document was a memorandum of receipt signed by De la Paz on October 3, showing that he received the amount from the chief of budget division of the PNP comptrollership as contingency fund for the officers attending the Moscow conference. The report said that the eight-man PNP contingent to the Interpol conference left for Moscow on October 5. On October 11, De la Paz and his wife were stopped at the Moscow airport after they yielded huge amount of euros. Verzosa said the documents would prove that the money is clean, contrary to rumors and insinuations that it was source illegally as floated during the Senate hearing Thursday. - Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV