Time running out for PNP to explain P5-million boat deal

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel involved in the allegedly anomalous procurement of 16 patrol boats worth over almost P5M in 2010 have until this week to shed light on the deal.

Sources told The STAR the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said PNP personnel were instructed to appear to the CIDG office to explain their participation in the purchase of the boats for P4,799,984 .

 “The investigation (is) still ongoing. Concerned personnel were given until this week to submit their statements,” said a reliable source.

Records showed a number of PNP personnel were subjected to pre-charge investigation for conducting inspection and acceptance of 16 patrol seacraft without proper authority, which is tantamount to serious irregularity in the performance of duty.

The investigation stemmed from a report of the Maritime Group (MG) stating that the delivered boats did not conform with the specification of the National Police Commission as recommended by the PNP.

Aside from the MG, the Commission on Audit (COA) also reported that the engine of the delivered seacraft is for diesel while the requirement was for gasoline.

“Some of the patrol coastal seacraft need immediate repair and repair of outriggers,” the report stated.

Last July 12, 2010, the report said members of the IAC inspected and reported that the seacraft were in good condition.

“It appears that several defects were noted in the delivered patrol coastal seacraft, repeated demands have been made to the supplier to make appropriate corrections but no action was taken,” the report stated.

The procurement of patrol coastal seacraft is one of the alleged anomalies in the PNP’s equipment purchases.

The Senate is investigating the allegedly anomalous procurement of three new helicopters worth P104.9 million, but two of them turned out to be five years old and previously owned. Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the helicopters belonged to former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who denied the accusation.

The CIDG is also investigating the purchase of rubber and patrol boats and the repair of 30-year-old and rundown B-150 armored personnel carriers at P300 million. Only 13 carriers were repaired, while the rest were consigned to the dump.