PNP expected to file charges in rubber boat, personnel carrier scams

MANILA, Philippines – On the heels of the filing of a plunder case against 26 persons involved in the helicopter purchase anomaly, the Philippine National Police is expected to press more criminal charges in two other irregularities concerning the 2009 purchase of rubber boats and the 2007 repair of V-150 light armored personnel carriers.

Next week, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group team tasked to investigate the P131.5 million rubber boat transaction will submit its recommendations, including the prospect of criminal charges against the suppliers and police officials involved.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo questioned the purchase of 75 rubber boats and 93 outboard motors that were found to be incompatible, and thus unusable – a charge the supplier, Enviro-Aire, denied.

CIDG Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr. told a briefing on Friday that his deputy, Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, will submit his recommendations on Wednesday.

Estipona said the results of the rubber boat investigation would not be of the same scale as that of the choppers, which involved sweeping criminal charges against, among others, Jose Miguel Arroyo, husband of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and former Philippine National Police chief Jesus Versoza.

“In the case of the rubber boats and motors, the question is not on whether [they’re] brand new or if the delivery of equipment was made, but if the equipment can be used by the PNP and if the contract was detrimental to the government,” he said.

On the other hand, Pagdilao said, another CIDG team probing into the V-150 controversy might need more time to finish the investigation “given the magnitude” of the P409.74 million worth of transactions.

“We evaluated the documents and results of the fact-finding committee. It contains voluminous documents and might involve more than 30 persons and at least four separate transactions in four supposed-to-be procurement activities,” he said.

Pagdilao said the CIDG might have to ask Robredo for more time to gather and authenticate documents, as well as interview and investigate the 32 persons who might have liabillity.

Robredo had given the CIDG 15 days to finish the investigation and file charges, if necessary.

“We will try our best to finish within the time frame given to us but I believe we should not be constrained by time especially if it will affect the outcome of our investigation,” Pagdilao said.

A six-member fact-finding committee had found that the repair and refurbishing of 28 V-150s violated audit regulations with the repair costs being more than 30 percent of the original acquisition price.

The committee also noted the “haste” with which the claims were processed and payments made in January 2007, “even before the first of the refurbished units were yet to be delivered seven months later.”

But former PNP chief Avelino Razon Jr. said he believed his subordinates in the PNP’s bids and awards committee had acted in good faith, and that it was only acting in the PNP’s best interest.

He denied that there was collusion with the six suppliers involved in the transaction, among them Enviro-Aire.