SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – After re-investigating the “Euro Generals” controversy, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of charges against 9 retired and active police generals involved in the “anomalous disbursement of Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence and confidential funds for their travel expenses to Russia in 2008.”
The Ombudsman initially found only one police general liable for graft in its July 2011 recommendation — Gen. Eliseo dela Paz, who was caught carrying 105,000 euros or an estimated P7 million in a Moscow airport.
He was on his way back to the Philippines after attending the 77th International Police (Interpol) general assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The amount was more than the allowed cash that travellers are allowed to carry around without documents. Dela Paz and his wife Maria Fe were prevented from leaving the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow.
Aside from Dela Paz, who is facing charges of technical malversation and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Ombudsman is now filing charges against 8 more police officials who were in Russia with him:
- P/Dep. Dir. Gen. Emmanuel Carta – violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/Dep. Dir. Gen. Ismael Rafanan – violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/Dir. Romeo Ricardo – violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/Dir. German Doria – violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/Dir. Jaime Caringal – violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/Chief Supt. Orlando Pestaño – technical malversation and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/ Sr. Supt. Tomas Rentoy III – technical malversation and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- P/Sr. Supt. Samuel Rodriguez – technical malversation and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
“The Resolution stated that there is probable cause arising from the release, disbursement and use of a total of P10M of intelligence/confidential fund of the PNP as travel expenses of the PNP delegates to the 77th Interpol General Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia,” the Office of the Ombudsman said in a statement.
“The manifest partiality and evident bad faith of respondent Ricardo can be easily gleaned from his act of recommending himself and his co-respondents Carta, Rafanan, Doria, Caringal, and Dela Paz, as participants to the Interpol General Assembly, despite that he and his co-respondents were not qualified to attend said assembly because they were due to retire within one (1) year from the date thereof,” it added.
The resolution that reversed its earlier ruling explained that “the Ombudsman is not barred from revoking, repealing or overturning the earlier ruling of a predecessor in office.”
The Ombudsman dismissed the charges — for lack of probable cause — against the following:
- former Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno
- retired P/Dir. Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr
- P/Chief Supt. Joel Ma. Alvarez
- retired P/Dep. Dir. Gen. Edgardo Acuña
- P/Supt. Elmer Pelobello
- retired P/Dir. Silverio Alarcio, Jr
- private respondent Evita Caringal
- private respondent Cynthia Versoza
– Rappler.com
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