Poe files Senate resolution to probe ‘lemon’ Mahindra patrol cars
Photo from the office of Senator Grace Poe
Senator Grace Poe has officially sought for a Senate inquiry on what she called “lemon” Mahindra patrol cars worth P1.89 billion.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 777, a copy of which was released to the media on Friday, Poe directed the two committees — accountability of public officers and investigations (also known as the blue ribbon committee) and public order and dangerous drugs — to conduct the investigation.
The resolution noted a recent Commission on Audit (COA) report that showed the purchase of Mahindra vehicles in 2015 was “riddled” with irregularities.
“The COA repot validates concerns raised way back in 2014, during which it was reported that the terms of reference for the purchase were modified to eliminate other bidders, and that Mahindra was not even qualified in the first place due to their lack of service centers,” Poe said in the resolution.
The senator stressed that since public funds and resources belong to the people, the government should be “judicious in its use in order to avoid wastage.”
“All forms of government misfeasance, malfeasance, and nonfeasance, especially with regard to government funds must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Poe said.
“The damage done by the lemon Mahindras compromised security crippled the police and left citizens vulnerable,” she also said.
Poe added that it “was also marked by numerous ‘unsound changes in NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission) minimum standard specifications restricting in effect wider latitude in selecting the most suitable mobility assets’.”
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In the COA report, the purchase of the vehicles was flagged to be “without the benefit of operational needs assessment,” that it was marked by “numerous unsound changes in Napolcom minimum standard specifications restricting in effect wider latitude in selecting the most suitable mobility assets,” among others. /kga
