MANILA, Philippines – After intense grilling by senators, a member of the negotiation committee and the bids and awards committee of the Philippine National Police conceded that they were deceived by a supplier into buying second-hand helicopters.
“Apparently sir, there’s deceit here and it would appear that MAPTRA committed estafa here,” Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde told the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday.
MAPTRA is Manila Aerospace Trading Corporation, which bagged the contract for three brand new fully equipped police helicopters. But Senator Panfilo Lacson alleged that two of the helicopters it sold to the PNP were pre-owned by the Arroyos.
It was Senator Franklin Drilon, who raised the possibility that the PNP was deceived by the supplier when it delivered second-hand helicopters to the police.
“You awarded the contract as brand new but you end up with a second had, pre-owned [helicopter]. That’s a classic case of estafa,” said Drilon.
Ubalde, on Senator Sergio Osmena III’s query, told the committee that the helicopters were delivered to the police in Nov. 11, 2009.
“So it took you two years to discover that the PNP was deceived?” asked Osmena.
“It would appear that way,” Ubalde added.