PNP gets P76-M new vans

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police has acquired 55 new vans to be distributed to different PNP units to boost police mobility and anti-crime drive.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina yesterday led the turnover of the Toyota HiAce vans worth P76.6 million.

Roxas said the vehicles would be distributed to 17 PNP regional criminal laboratory group (RCLG) offices to support its transport needs in processing crime scenes.

“Each regional police office will have this (van),” Roxas said after the blessing of the police vehicles at Camp Crame.

Espina, for his part, said the vans would boost the emergency response capabilities of the 150,000-strong police force nationwide.

Aside from the RCLGs, the vehicles would be distributed to directorates in the PNP headquarters as well as national support offices such as the Anti-Kidnapping Group, Anti-Cybercrime Group, Aviation Security Group, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Police Community Relations Group, Directorate for Police Community Relations, Public Information Office and Logistics Support Service.

Roxas announced that the procurement of 1,470 patrol jeeps amounting to P1.4 billion is in the post-qualification stage.

“All municipalities in the country would have at least one patrol jeep in the next 12 months,” he said.