Press Release
November 5, 2008

ROXAS: 'EURO GENERALS' MESS WILL ROT IN GUTIERREZ'S OFFICE
TELLS VERSOZA TO PUNISH POLICE OFFICIAL WHO BROUGHT CASE TO OMBUDSMAN

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas yesterday expressed disgust over the decision of a special police investigating team to forward to the Ombudsman's office for further investigation the "euro generals" mess, which he said would only gather cobwebs because of the slow action of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

"Siguradong walang mangyayari diyan sa imbestigasyon ng Ombudsman sa euro generals controversy. Napakarami ng nakabinbing kaso sa opisina ni Gutierrez dahil sa kawalang interes niya na aksyunan ang mga ito. (Nothing will happen to the investigation of the Ombudsman into the euro generals controversy. So many cases are already pending in Gutierrez' office because of her inaction on them)," he said.

Roxas reproached Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region Police Office (CIDG-NCRPO) for defying the order of PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa to immediately file cases against ex-PNP comptroller Eliseo De La Paz and three other officials involved in the scandal.

"Nag-utos na si Versoza na sampahan ng kaso si De La Paz at ang tatlo pang opisyales na may kinalaman sa pagpapalabas ng P6.9 million mula sa intelligence fund ng PNP. Bakit hindi ito ang ginawa ni Nerez? Bakit sa Ombudsman niya diniretso ang kaso at hindi sa korte? Nakapagtatakang gumagawa ng sarili niyang diskarte itong si Nerez. (Versoza has ordered the filing of cases against De La Paz and the three other officials involved in the unauthorized release of the P6.9 million from the PNP intelligence fund. Why did Nerez not heed the order? Why did he forward his findings to the Ombudsman? I am puzzled by his decision)," he said.

He urged the police chief to punish Nerez for forwarding his panel's recommendations to the Ombudsman's office instead of directly charging De La Paz, Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestaño, Senior Superintendent Tomas Rentoy, and Superintendent Samuel Rodriguez before the courts.

"Kailangang turuan ni Versoza ng leksyon itong si Nerez sa paglabag sa kanyang utos. (Nerez should be taught a lesson for defying the orders of his superior)," he added.

De La Paz was caught by Russian authorities last month with an undisclosed 105,000 euros (P6.9 million) as he was about to depart for his flight back to Manila after attending an Interpol meeting in Moscow.

An investigation by Nerez' team showed that the money was advanced by De La Paz from the PNP's intelligence/confidential funds, allegedly for purchase of intelligence equipment. The money was released by Pestano, Rentoy and Rodriguez without the authority of Versoza.

The Ilonggo senator said the "Euro Generals" mess would likely follow the route of other controversial cases, like the fertilizer scam involving former DA Undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante and the NBN-ZTE deal exposes of Jun Lozada.

"Isasantabi lang muli ni Gutierrez ang kasong ito tulad ng ginagawa niya sa iba pang kontrobersiyang maaring magdawit sa mga nakatira sa Palasyo. (I am sure she will only put this in the backburner similar to what she has been doing with the other controversies which threatens to drag the tenants of Malacañang)," he said.

News Latest News Feed