Cimatu told reporters upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday night that he welcomed the opportunity to clear his name and to get to the bottom of the controversy.

?I categorically deny that I received any funds for my personal use or aggrandizement, being this so-called pasalubong or pabaon, or any other guises from anybody in the AFP,? he said, reading a prepared statement.

He did not entertain questions and refused to comment on the suicide of former Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, who had also been implicated in the scandal.

Last Thursday, former AFP budget officer retired Lieutenant Colonel George Rabusa, told a Senate hearing that Cimatu, who served as military chief from May to September 2002, received P80-million in send-off money upon his retirement, while Diomedio Villanueva received P164 million, and Reyes P50 million.

The amounts were allegedly on top of the P5 million that was given monthly to Cimatu, Villanueva and Reyes when they were the AFP chief of staff, and the P10 million in welcome money for Cimatu and Villanueva.

?I will not dignify these allegations nor will I second-guess the motivations of those who are coming out with these almost a decade after the fact. All I can say is that I welcome the opportunity to clear the air and I am ready to face any investigation to get to the bottom of this at any time,? Cimatu said.

He said this was all he could say at this time ?with due courtesy to the committees that have invited me to appear before the Senate and Congress.?

?I will have the opportunity after the hearings to share more information with you and our people, the better to ferret out the real unvarnished truth,? he said.

Cimatu said the truth would ?spare the innocent from getting dragged into the fray, and restore the honor and dignity of the AFP and the men and women who have made and continue to make this great institution in our democracy.?

The ambassador returned home aboard an Emirates flight from Dubai, following an official visit to Afghanistan.

He was supposed to go to Egypt next to check the situation of the Filipino community there but was asked to return home after the controversy involving the retired generals broke.