MANILA--Malacañang is not closing the door on the possibility of a bigger conspiracy in the unauthorized release of P6.9 million from Philippine National Police intelligence fund by retired comptroller Eliseo de la Paz.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez said on Sunday the Palace was confident that the supposedly ?bigger conspiracy? floated by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago would be unearthed through proper legal channels.

?If there?s indeed a conspiracy, it would not survive scrutiny once the case is referred to the courts,? he said in Filipino in an interview over Radyo Ng Bayan (Radio of the Nation). ?What?s important is that we course the matter through due process because that?s what the law requires.?

Golez said someone must be punished for the fund mess, which the Senate began investigating last Saturday.

?The Palace really wants transparency in all levels of bureaucracy,? he said. ?There should also be accountability for all officials given responsibility over the resources of different agencies.?

Golez said the ongoing investigation should lead to the filing of charges against those responsible for the crime.

?Whoever needs to be charged should be charged because this administration favors no one, particularly on graft and corruption,? he said.

Asked if Malacañang would be stricter with PNP funds particularly with the agency?s share in the annual national expenditure program, he said Palace lawyers would examine ?weaknesses in the system? and decide based on the outcome of the investigation.

?It?s automatic in any investigation,? he said, referring to the suggested review of the PNP budget.

De la Paz on Saturday took all the blame for the questionable release of PNP funds, an effort Santiago said could be intended to protect higher officials similarly involved in the scandal.

De la Paz was caught with the money on his way out of Russia after attending the International Police conference there.

Santiago, chair of Senate foreign relations committee investigating the scandal, warned De la Paz that his admission of unilateral guilt could keep him in jail for more than 20 years.

?I refuse to believe that you are the sole perpetrator of the crime. I believe you are part of a bigger conspiracy,? she told the ex-police general, who had cleared Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa.