Korean officials turn over 130 vehicles to PNP

BIG BOOST PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde (left), KNPA Commissioner General Lee Chul-sung and Korean Ambassador Han Dong-man inspect one of the 130 vehicles turned over to the PNP on Tuesday. —EDWIN BACASMAS

To boost the investigative capability of the Philippine National Police, the Korean Embassy and Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) turned over on Tuesday a donation of 130 vehicles to PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde.

Korean Ambassador Han Dong-man presided over the turnover of 49 Hyundai Elantra cars and 81 Starex vans at Camp Karingal, Quezon City.

Peace and order

In a speech, Han said the vehicles would help the PNP maintain peace and order in Metro Manila, as well as strengthen its criminal investigation and security management capacities.

The donation was also in gratitude for the heroism shown by over 7,000 Filipino soldiers during the Korean War in 1950.

“There is no doubt Korea would not be enjoying peace, democracy and prosperity without the help of the Filipino veterans. It’s time for Korea to pay its debt,” Han said, adding: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

The donation is part of the “Enhancing the Criminal Investigation Capability of the Philippine National Police” project between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Korean Embassy under a joint agreement signed in 2014.

The embassy, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, has provided funding of $6.6 million for the six-year project that started in 2015.

The project aims to promote a safer and more secure environment conducive to national development while strengthening the relationship and cooperation between the two countries, Han said.

According to KNPA Commissioner General Lee Chul-sung, the donation symbolized the bilateral peace cooperation between Korea and the Philippines.

“I expect these Korean vehicles to be reinforcing the capacity of the PNP,” he added.

Donation recipients

The donated vehicles will be distributed to the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Cybercrime Groups, and police offices in provinces where there are a large number of Korean communities, Albayalde said.

Albayalde told reporters that there was a shortage of cars in the PNP, and that some police stations in Metro Manila did not have a police car or even a motorcycle.

The vehicles, he said, would be properly maintained as each one would be issued to at least three people for accountability and safekeeping.