Lacson lectures police finance chief for ‘sin of omission’

MANILA, Philippines — The head of the Philippine National Police's finance services unit got a tongue-lashing from a former PNP chief for his "sin of omission" that led to the “euro generals" mess. Sen. Panfilo Lacson twitted Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestaño for not clearing the request of then comptroller Dir. Eliseo dela Paz for P10 million for an Interpol meet in Russia. "You saw an irregularity, you are maintaining there was something irregular, the requesting party was also the approving authority. Nakita mo ang mali (You saw the lapse). The only person who could have overruled Director Dela Paz, (was the) Chief PNP, because Director Dela Paz would not overrule himself. He was requesting P10 million, he was the approving authority. Why did you not report directly?" Lacson told Pestaño at a Senate hearing on the scandal. When Pestaño insisted he did not commit any omission, Lacson asked him if he reported the matter to then PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Avelino Razon Jr. But while Pestaño said he was not admitting any mistake, he admitted he never brought it up with Razon. "So you violated something," Lacson said. Earlier, Sen. Manuel Roxas II scored the "closed loop" involved in the P10-million request, where dela Paz was both the requesting and approving party. Lacson, who was once chief of the PNP, reminded Pestaño that while the PNP finance service is under the directorate for comptrollership, there is nothing wrong with verifying the request directly with the PNP chief. "Ang pondo ng Directorate for Intelligence, bakit kinukuha ng Directorate for Comptrollership (Why did the directorate for comptrollership request the money of the directorate for intelligence)? The more prudent thing to do was to go to the Chief PNP. Why take the matter with (then comptroller) dela Paz? I cannot understand the sensibility of your action," he said. Lacson became more intrigued when Pestaño said he took up the matter with dela Paz, knowing that dela Paz was the same officer who requested the funds. "’Di ka naman magba-violate ng chain of command kung pumunta kay kay (Razon) na medyo mali ito, I'm advising you, ikaw ang bahala … Kung sabi ni (Chief PNP) cleared ‘yan. But you did not exercise prudence. Instead you took it up with dela Paz (You wouldn't have violated the chain of command if you went to Razon and told him about your misgivings so he can make the proper decision. If the Chief PNP said it's cleared with him, you would have been off the hook. But instead you took it up with dela Paz)," he told Pestaño. Pestaño said he merely took the word of dela Paz that there was nothing irregular, to which Lacson replied, "I cannot buy that." Pestaño said dela Paz had "assured me of everything" when he brought up the matter with him. When asked by Lacson if he verified if the money was cleared with the Chief PNP, Pestaño replied, "he said ako bahala sa itaas (Dela Paz said he would take care of everything)." "Galing ako sa PNP, ‘di mo pwedeng ilusot na functional grouping ka ng DC but your boss is Chief PNP, not DC (I came from the PNP. You cannot give me that excuse that you are under the directorate for comptrollership. Your boss is the Chief PNP, not the comptroller)," Lacson said. - GMANews.TV