'Euro generals' charged with graft

MANILA, Philippines - Investigators of the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft charges against 12 former and active ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) before the anti-graft agency’s Preliminary Investigation and Administrative Adjudication and Monitoring Office (PAMO) yesterday for their alleged involvement in the so-called “euro generals” incident in 2008.

Former PNP chief Avelino Razon Jr. and retired PNP comptroller Eliseo de la Paz led the list of respondents along with six other retired police officials – former Deputy Director Generals Emmanuel Carta and Ismael Rafanan as then Deputy Chiefs for Administration and for Operations, respectively; and former Directors Romeo Ricardo and Jaime Caringal, who were then Chief of Directorate for Plans and PNP Region 9 chief respectively.

Six other high-ranking officials who are still in active service were also included in the charges: Director for Human Resources and Doctrine Development German Doria; Director for Operations Silverio Alarcio Jr.; Chief Superintendents Samuel Rodriguez and Orlando Legaspi, who are currently designated as Special Disbursing Officer and Director for Finance Service; Senior Superintendent Tomas Rentoy III, who is Director for the Budget Division; and Superintendent Elmer Pelobello.

The wife of current PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, Cynthia, and the wife of De la Paz, Maria Fe, were also charged for joining the offshore travel to St. Petersburg in Russia, where the 77th Interpol General Assembly was held.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., said the Ombudsman’s move will allow all concerned parties to answer all the allegations against them through their individual counter-affidavits or through their counsels.

“As far as the PNP is concerned stringent guidelines and control procedures are now in place regarding foreign travel to preclude any oversight of similar nature,” Cruz said.

He said the PNP now requires all personnel traveling abroad on official mission to undergo a pre-departure orientation briefing by the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development.

“This includes an orientation on customs and immigration laws that must be properly observed in the host country to avoid embarrassment, travel delay, or legal issues,” he added. “We need to know all these because the PNP regularly sends personnel on official mission abroad to attend cross-training sessions with foreign law enforcement agencies short courses and expertise training programs.”

Under the present policy, Cruz said the PNP will no longer release fund for police officers traveling abroad since the host country is asked to shoulder the expenses.

Cruz noted the PNP is strictly implementing rules that no police officer, who has less than one year in the police service, can travel abroad in behalf of the PNP.

Meanwhile, Razon said he has nothing to do with the case and is ready to answer the matter in the proper forum.

De la Paz and his wife were barred from taking their flight at the Shremetyevo International Airport in Moscow after they were caught carrying 105,000 euros.

The FIO said Razon is being charged with graft for approving the travel documents of the delegation, including some who were to retire in a year and are thus not allowed offshore travel, and for approving the allotment of travel and incidental expenses of P2.3 million and the actual disbursement of P2.1 million from the PNP fund.

De la Paz is also being charged with graft for taking part in the trip despite being unqualified and for receiving corresponding travel allowance for the trip.

The rest of the respondents are being charged for various actions like recommending who will participate in the Interpol Assembly and for actually joining the delegation. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe