7 face probe for PNP 'ghost' repairs

MANILA, Philippines - Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Avelino Razon and six other ranking police officials are under investigation for the questionable repair of 28 V-150 light armored vehicles worth P409.74 million.

PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to determine the liability of Razon and company under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The CIDG has summoned Razon, along with former deputy director general Reynaldo Varilla, former director Charlemagne Alejandrino, former chief superintendents Ray Roderos, Mario San Diego and Teodorido Lapuz and Superintendent Warlito Tobon, to shed light on the issue.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the Senate will also proceed with its investigation into the "ghost" repairs, in spite of the PNP probe.

Bacalzo said a six-member fact-finding committee has found gross violation of procurement procedures in awarding of the contract to repair and refurbish the 28 V-150 vehicles, mostly used by the Special Action Force (SAF) and the Regional Mobile Group (RMG).

The V-150 is part of a series of armored vehicles developed in the 1960s by the Terra-Space division of the US-based Cadillac Gage Co.

 In its Resolution No. 2007-225, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) ordered the recall and repair of the 28 V-150s issued to the SAF and the PNP’s RMG’s now known as the Regional Public Safety Management Battalions. The Napolcom resolution directed the PNP Directorate for Logistics to carry out the recall but it could not be ascertained how said office did it and where the three winning bidders conducted the repairs.

Since all the V-150s were made exclusively in the US, investigators are also trying to find out how and where the winning suppliers – the Enviro-Aire Inc., RJP International Trading Construction & General Services, and Evans Spare Parts Motorworks RPR and Trading – managed to obtain their spare parts, engines and transmissions.

The fact-finding committee also noted that the suppliers were paid even before the first of the refurbished vehicles were delivered.

The repair contract also violated Commission on Audit regulations, as the repair of the cost is more than 30 percent of the original acquisition cost.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., PNP spokesman noted that only 15 of the 28 refurbished vehicles remained serviceable, adding that breakdowns and defects continue to be reported by end-users.

The PNP is also seeking higher-level inquiry into the wisdom or propriety behind the passage of the Napolcom resolution without any prior Technical Inspection Report and assessment from the end-users. – Non Alquitran, Mike Frialde, Christina Mendez