Retired Manila cops welcome probe into 'missing funds'

MANILA, Philippines - Manila’s Finest Retirees Association, Inc. (MFRAI) president retired police colonel Felicisimo Lazaro, reacting to allegations that the group’s funds were being diverted into personal accounts, welcomed an investigation to prove there are no missing funds.

Lazaro and some 100 retirees confronted the accuser, retired colonel Honorato Laurel, in a dialogue called by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim at his office recently.

Lim has ordered Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay to investigate reports that MFRAI funds have been deposited to the personal account of one of its ranking officials.

The interests accruing to the funds are allegedly being withdrawn regularly and then divided among certain officials, Lim told Magtibay.

In an exclusive interview, Lazaro said the group’s fund of more than P2 million is deposited at the PNP Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, Inc. under the account of MFRAI vice president Pete Angulo “since the police savings bank does not accept deposits under the name of associations.”

However, Lazaro said the MFRAI has put up security measures to prevent unauthorized withdrawals. He said the group’s bankbook is kept in a vault whose key is entrusted to one of their employees.

“Angulo could not make any unauthorized withdrawals either since some of the bank’s top officials are also members of the MFRAI,” he said.

Angulo also executed a notarized affidavit that in case of his death, no member of his family could lay claim on the deposit, Lazaro said.

Lazaro also showed The STAR documents to prove that the more than P3 million funds of the MFRAI are deposited in several other private banks. “The money is intact and anybody interested can look at our bankbooks,” he said.

Lazaro is also wondering where Laurel got the information that Emilio Yap of Manila Bulletin donated P1.6 million for the benefit of the more than 1,000 Manila police retirees. “If (Laurel), who has not been visiting the MFRAI office for almost four years now, has that information, maybe he was the one who received the donation,” Lazaro said.

Lazaro also called on Magtibay to expedite the result of the investigation. He said that he is contemplating filing a libel case against Laurel if the results of the investigation clear their group.   – Nestor Etolle