Retired Gen. Eliseo de la Paz yesterday paid at least P4.4 million to the Police Finance Service, beating the deadline to return the 105,000 euros (P6.9 million) in intelligence funds he obtained as cash advance for a police delegation to the 77th Interpol summit held in Russia October last year.

Lawyer Noel Malaya, De la Paz?s counsel, said his client paid at least P4,448,000 to the PNP Finance Service yesterday before the 3 p.m. closing time of banking hours. De la Paz just retired as police comptroller when he joined the Philippine delegation to the Moscow meeting.

De la Paz?s Russian lawyer, Alex Binetsky, earlier transferred 40,000 euros (P2,452,000) to the Land Bank of the Philippines account of the PNP, representing about 40 percent of the euros the Russians confiscated from De la Paz when he and his wife were detained on suspicion of money laundering.

Binetsky was authorized by Russian authorities to work for the return of the money to the PNP after the agency ?cleared? the retired police officer of any liability regarding the seized 105,000 euros.

The return of the full amount as ?cash advance? meant the PNP will no longer pursue the filing of a ?civil action for collection of a sum of money? against the retired police general.

Police Director General Jesus Verzosa earlier threatened to sue De la Paz if he fails to return the full amount on or before Feb. 28. Romie Evangelista