Allowance reached NCRPO officials

MANILA, Philippines - The P2,400 allowance allocated for police officers who helped secure Pope Francis’ visit reached the district directors under the National Capital Region Police Office, NCRPO chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said yesterday.

He said he has ordered the directors of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Eastern Police District (EPD), Manila Police District, Southern Police District and the Northern Police District to submit reports on how they disbursed the police officers’ allowance for the papal visit.

Valmoria said he is greatly disturbed by reports that the QCPD distributed no money at all while the EPD police officers received only P150.

“We are at the receiving end of the negative reports circulating lately regarding the allowance of policemen during the papal visit. But I assure you that the money reached the hands of the district directors,” he said.

Valmoria directed Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban Jr., head of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, to look into the issue as he vowed to institute strict disciplinary action against those who pocketed the allowance.

He said he is responsible only for the allowance received by the NCRPO contingent.

NCRPO comptroller Senior Superintendent Jimili Macaraeg received the papal visit fund, which he distributed to his counterparts from the five police districts in Metro Manila, according to Valmoria.

“The money was distributed during an organized meeting,” he said, adding that Macaraeg was only responsible for deployed police officers who are directly under the NCRPO.

Valmoria said they “will wait for the results of the investigation before commenting on them. We could not accuse anybody of wrongdoing until the probe is over.”

Valmoria ordered Lukban to get the statements of police officers who complained and those of the police district comptrollers to determine whether the allegations hold water.