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'Euro Generals' didn't declare P6.9M when they left - MIAA


MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino airport executive on Friday said that the Philippine National Police delegation to an International Police Organization (Interpol) meeting in Moscow did not declare their P6.9-million 'contingency' fund when they left the Philippines earlier this month. This came from Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Alfonso Cusi who said Friday evening that there was no declaration made by any of the delegation members – a violation of immigration rules. "Nalaman namin sa Customs walang ginawang declaration na may dala silang ganoong kalaking pera. Iniimbestigahan namin ito (We learned from Customs that no declaration came from any of the delegation members. We're looking closely into it)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. Cusi said the only acceptable reason for this finding is if the money did not originate from the Philippines. However, the PNP hierarchy and interior secretary Ronaldo Puno had insisted that the money was from the PNP and was meant as a contingency fund. PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said retired Philippine National Police comptroller Dir. Eliseo dela Paz, who was retiring at the time of the trip, was entrusted with the amount. Dela Paz and his wife were held at the Moscow airport after they failed to declare the money. The incident sparked an investigation and criticism from various sectors, including junior policemen who questioned such large amounts of money for ranking officers in contrast to their lack of equipment. "As per our investigation, walang declaration sa BOC. Kung more than P10,000 or $10,000 kailangan naka-declaration yan. Ang possibility, wala silang dalang ganoong kalaking halaga or hindi lang talagang nakadeklara (As per our investigation, no declaration was made at the Customs Bureau. If the amount is more than P10,000 or $10,000, you have to declare it. The only possibility we see is that they either did not have that big an amount when they left, or they simply did not declare the amount)," Cusi said. However, Cusi washed his hands off the mess when asked if airport security personnel should have thoroughly checked the baggage of the delegation members. "Ang kuwan lang dito dahil pitong tao ang PNP personnel na umalis hindi natin malaman paano nga, mahirap maghaka-haka paano dinala ang pera at saan galing ang pera (There were seven PNP members of the delegation. We don't know how this happened. It's hard to speculate)," he said when asked if airport personnel should have also checked the delegates' baggage. He also insisted on the possibility the money may not have originated from the Philippines, mentioning that the delegates headed for Moscow via Hong Kong. "That is a Customs matter, dapat sila ang titingin sa bagay na yan (That is a Customs matter, they should be the ones looking into that)," he added. Meanwhile, in Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez Jr. appealed to the public not to "prejudge" the Moscow delegation, which had been dubbed the "Euro Generals." Radio dzRH reported that Golez vowed there will be no whitewash of the investigation. "Makapag-explain ang PNP officers (The PNP officers can explain) because they have a lot of explaining to do. Let us not be judgmental on this issue, let us wait for the results of this investigation," he said. "Malalaman rin naman natin sa lalong madaling panahon kung ano ang kabuuang istorya ukol dito (Sooner or later we will get to the bottom of this)," he added. - GMANews.TV
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