Firm supplying PNP helicopters under probe

 MANILA, Philippines - Investigators are checking if the Manila Aerospace Products Trading (MAPTRA) was qualified to deal with the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the supply of three helicopters, marketed as new but two of which turned out to be already five years old and previously owned.

Senior Superintendent Christopher Laxa, chief of the CIDG-Special Investigation Task Group on helicopter procurement, said yesterday they have acquired documents of incorporation of MAPTRA from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as part of the investigation.

“We are now analyzing the documents of MAPTRA,” said Laxa, who noted that based on initial assessment, MAPTRA was originally registered as a sole proprietorship when the firm participated in the first failed bidding.

Laxa pointed out that a few months later, when MAPTRA joined the second bidding, it already had several proprietors.

Laxa said they have summoned some personalities to shed light on the alleged anomalous procurement. They are expected to appear today or tomorrow at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Camp Came in Quezon City.

Laxa advised the unnamed individuals to bring their own lawyers since the investigation being conducted might result in the filing of criminal charges.

Director Arturo Cacdac Jr., chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), found out that two of the three helicopters were five years old.

Cacdac said only one of the choppers turned out to be new with only 9.9 hours flying time. The two other aircraft have an average flying time of 500 hours when turned over to the PNP SAF Air Unit on Sept. 24, 2009.

The choppers were previously registered to the Asian Spirit, Inc., which leased them to Lion Air, Inc. in 2004.

Laxa said they have yet to establish when and how the ownership of the helicopters was transferred from Lion Air to MAPTRA.

The DIDM fact-finding has forwarded the names of 27 PNP personnel, retired and active, to the CIDG for further investigation.