Lacson backs plan to probe P1.89 billion PNP vehicle deal

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday aired his support for the planned Senate inquiry into the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s procurement of P1.89 billion worth of Mahindra patrol vehicles that was flagged by the Commission on Audit.

Lacson said Manuel Roxas II could be invited to the hearing since he was the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) at the time of the procurement in 2015.

Apart from being former DILG chief, Lacson pointed out that Roxas was also ex-officio chairman of the National Police Commission, which has control and supervision over the PNP.

Lacson noted that problems attended the procurement of patrol vehicles from Indian manufacturer Mahindra as there was no after-sales service and no track record of the company in the country.

“At the time, I was thinking there was already something wrong with the procurement because why did they get (a vehicle) that was not tested. Maybe this would not help the PNP,” Lacson told reporters.

Senate committee on public order vice chair Grace Poe has vowed to conduct a probe on the procurement of patrol vehicles to “determine the culpability of the PNP officials, among others.”

Lacson, who chairs the committee, said he supports the call of Poe, “after all it’s P1.8 billion in people’s money that’s involved here.”

“We have to look into this so that this would not happen again and to hold liable those that should be held liable,” he said.