K-9 exchange deal for QC government, Coast Guard

Call it fair exchange.

The Quezon City government has granted the request of the K-9 unit of the Philippine Coast Guard to train their dogs in a government-owned lot, in exchange for providing the city government with at least four K-9 bomb-sniffing dogs.

Quezon City General Services Office (GSO) chief Roland Montiel told The Star yesterday that the Coast Guard had requested the local government to provide them a five-hectare lot in the city where the agency’s K-9 could be trained for their operations.

"The Coast Guard K-9 unit wrote us because they needed a place to train their dogs," Montiel said.

He added that a portion of Green Meadows is being considered as the training area for the K-9 squad, far from squatters in the city.

The local government has asked that it be allowed to borrow some of the trained dogs.

"We sent a letter to the Coast Guard asking them to provide us with K-9 services," he said.

According to Montiel, his office has proposed to Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to buy at least two K-9 bomb-sniffing dogs from a private company for use in the city hall. They will search the building, including surroundings in case of a bomb threat.

In his proposal, Montiel said that the dogs cost P400,000 each.

The GSO also proposed to the mayor that the dogs be placed under the Public Order and Safety Department instead of the police.