Mindanao police will receive 71 new patrol jeeps as the Philippine National Police continues to bolster its operations against crime, insurgencies, and disaster relief efforts.
The patrol jeeps will be distributed by Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, and Camiguin.
On Thursday morning, Roxas personally went to Dinagat Islands to distribute seven units of light patrol jeeps for the municipalities of the Caraga region province.
Roxas is expected to head over Camp Alagar in Cagayan de Oro City to hand the keys of police jeeps to representatives of 23 municipalities in Misamis Oriental.
These patrol jeeps are part of the 1,490 vehicles recently purchased by the PNP.
Prior to this, nine provinces in Mindanao had been given 80 patrol vehicles. The provinces include South Cotabato, Sarangani, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental.
With the distribution of new patrol jeeps, the secretary said he hoped this would bring “peace and development” in the regions.
The procurement of new patrol jeeps is part of the PNP’s anticriminality program Oplan Lambat-Sibat.