Only in the Philippines!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

MANILA - Three officials of the National Bureau of Investigation, two of whom attended the International Police general assembly in Moscow, have been summoned to testify before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

In its subpoena, the Senate panel told the NBI men to appear Thursday for hearing into the P6.9 million mess involving retired Police Director Eliseo dela Paz and several other police officers.

Those subpoenaed to attend on Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. on the Pecson Room, Senate Building, CCP Complex, Pasay City were Deputy Director for Regional Operations Services lawyer Reynaldo Esme-ralda; Head Agent lawyer Claro de Castro Jr., chief of the NBI Interpol Division; and Head Agent Arnel Dalumpines, chief of the NBI Special Task Force (STF).

The subpoena was signed by Senator Miriam Defensor, chair of Committee on Foreign Relations.

“You are commanded to bring with you to the hearing all effective issuances by your office concerning official travel by government personnel, to be used as evidence in an inquiry in aid of legislation concerning the Moscow incident, involving the Philippine Interpol delegation,” the senator said.

The Senate also warned them that the subpoena duces tecum has been issued under the Senate Rules of Procedure governing inquiries in aid of legislation Section 17 and that failure to comply with it shall subject the NBI officials to penalty for contempt.

De Castro and Dalumpines were part of the Philippine delegation to Moscow Interpol event recently.

De Castro earlier said, in a GMA TV report, that his roundtrip ticket cost P87, 277 while the Philippine National Police officers’ approved airfare budget was P139,620 per head.

It was also learned that the NBI agents were given a daily allowance of $171.

For his part, Esmeralda said he did not attend the event but said he would still appear at the Senate hearing because of the summons.

“NBI Director lawyer Nestor Mantaring and lawyer de Castro were the original representatives of the NBI to the Interpol General Assembly in Moscow. In the absence of Mantaring, I was the official substitute for Director Mantaring for this event, However, I was scheduled to attend the budget hearing here so I was not available for the Moscow event. So on behalf of me, it was Head Agent Dalumpines who went there with lawyer de Castro,” said Esmeralda in an interview over the mobile phone.

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