By Romie A. Evangelista

An international banking institution with branches in Manila refused to open an account for the transfer of at least 104,000 euros the Russian immigration seized from former police comptroller Eliseo de la Paz in Moscow last October.

The bank said the history of the seized money is questionable, according to lawyer Noel Malaya, De la Paz?s counsel. But Malaya expressed optimism that the money would soon be transferred to the National Police account within this month.

?They tried to open an account here but one bank refused because of the questionable history of the money,? Malaya said in an interview with Camp Crame-based reporters. He declined to name the bank.

Malaya said Russian authorities have cleared De la Paz and his wife Maria Fe of any accountability on the seized money, which had been turned over to the account of the retired police officer?s Russian lawyer, Alex Binetskiy, in Russia.

The National Police had been able to open an account with the Land Bank of the Philippines last January to receive the remittances from Binetskiy. De la Paz promised to shoulder the remittance fees.

Malaya said Binetskiy may have to first transfer the seized euros from his bank in Russia by opening an account in Berlin, Germany, which would then facilitate another fund transfer to the LandBank.

?Binetskiy had gone to Berlin last Jan. 6 or 7. If the money is not yet transferred by March [to the LandBank], I may go to Berlin,? Malaya said.

De la Paz was part of an eight-member delegation that attended the 77th Interpol Conference in St. Petersburg. On his way to Moscow last Oct. 11, he, together with his wife, was placed on hold by Russian Customs authorities for their failure to declare money in their possession which exceeded the $10,000 limit per individual.

The Senate and the House of Representatives conducted separate investigations on the incident while the National Police filed charges against De la Paz and several police officers for the unauthorized release of P6.9 million (which was converted into euros) from the police intelligence funds.