Flimflam artists sold PNP P131.5M worth of defective boats, engines

MANILA, Philippines – Second-hand helicopters are not the only problem of the national police.

Hot on the heels of a recently uncovered scam where the Philippine National Police (PNP) were sold ‘second-hand’ helicopters for price of new ones, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo on Monday ordered the investigation of another con, this time rubber boats, outboard motor engines and a patrol boat, that had been found to be overpriced.

Robredo asked Philippine National Police chief Director General Raul Bacalzo to look into the procurement of 75 police rubber boats and 93 outboard motor engines worth P131.5 million in February 2010. He said it was discovered that the units were “most likely overpriced and unusable.” He added that information on the patrol boat, which cost more or less P90 million, was still unavailable.

The officers behind the said transaction, like those responsible for buying the two used helicopters would face charges, Robredo vowed.

“I have asked him (Bacalzo) to file appropriate charges against those responsible personnel, within or outside the police service involved in the transaction, and to cause possible restitution of the amount relative to the subject procurement.”

He said former PNP chief Jesus Verzosa and the members of the PNP National Headquarters Bids and Awards Committee during the time the boats were bought, “could be held liable for this irregular or anomalous transaction.”

The rubber boats had been an emergency procurement shortly after Typhoon Ondoy struck, said Robredo, but up until today, they have not been used by the PNP Maritime Group because these were defective and risky.

“I was informed that the members of the PNP NHQ BAC junked the Napolcom specifications, violated the government procurement laws, skipped the bidding process, and justified the ‘negotiated/emergency procurement’ because of Typhoon Ondoy,” said the DILG secretary.

He revealed that the PNP NHQ BAC had awarded and split the contract to three suppliers: the Enviro-Aire Incorporated, GENEVE SA Phils., Incorporated, and Bay Industrial Philippines.

He said that 41 the units which were made in France and worth P47.7 million had come from GENEVE SA Phils., 24 Korean-made units from Stoneworks Specialists International Corp. and Enviro-Aire worth P27.9 million, while 10 units made in Costa Rica and worth P11.6 million were delivered by Bay Industrial Phils.

All 93 outboard motors worth P44.1 million came from one source: Enviro-Aire, said Robredo. “All the delivered rubber boats were similarly priced at P1,165,000 each, while the outboard motors were priced at P475,000 each.”

But the PNP Maritime Group Technical Inspection Committee and Watercrafts (MG-TICW) found “numerous defects and deficiencies with the acquisition,” said Robredo, revealing that “the rubber boats and its outboard motor were not compatible, meaning they won’t fit with each other.”

Robredo said that the Napolcom specified for 40 horsepower outboard motors, but 60 horsepower units were delivered instead. He explained that the ‘transoms’ where the engine is mounted, were different for the 40 and 60 horsepower motor engines.

Those who will operate the rubber boats would need paddles, he said.

Robredo said that there was roughly P1 million freight costs for the deployment of the boats not included in the contracts as well.

The DILG secretary said that there was a need to fix the procurement processes of the PNP. He added that he had given this task to Bacalzo.