The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) respects the decision of the President to remove the procurement of equipment as one of the PNP’s administrative functions and is currently studying how the directive can be implemented.
“Secretary Eduardo Año has directed our lawyers to study the matter and to make their recommendations to him on how it can be implemented without unduly delaying the procurement timetable of the PNP. We will comply with the directive of the President and assure him that henceforth the DILG will closely review the procurement of the PNP,” said Usec Jonathan Malaya, DILG Spokesperson.
He said that the PNP had already apologized to the President for the “glaring but honest mistakes” in their presentation about the procurement of speed detection systems during the recent command conference of the police and the military which the President chaired.
“We believe it was an honest mistake,” he said, adding that the PNP has conducted all its procurement transactions properly and in accordance with law in the last two years.
“The PNP unfortunately used a wrong term in their presentation to the President. They used the term “laser speed gun” but according to PNP OIC LtGen Gamboa what they were referring to or requesting is the Micro Digital Photo/Video Laser Tech Speed System being used now by advanced countries like US and Israel costing on the average about P1M per system. It can capture up to 15,000 images of moving vehicles and build a database,” he said.
He said that PNP wanted to procure the latest equipment in curbing over-speeding and drunk driving in highways and public roads so it requested clearance from the President to procure speed detection systems, breath analyzers and mobile weighing scales.
Malaya explained that the procurement process has not begun yet and no funds have been disbursed. “It’s still in the pre-procurement stage and they were just asking clearance from the President,” he said.
He said that the OIC PNP has submitted their explanation to the President with deep regret for the glaring mistake in their presentation that was not properly reviewed.
Malaya notes that PNP best practices in procurement transactions over those years has resulted in huge savings for the government and improved operational capacity of PNP Units equipped with better acquired mission-essential tools, mobile assets and resources.
With this new authority from the President, the DILG assures the public that they will be vigilant in reviewing the procurement activities of the PNP.
“The DILG under Secretary Año will never allow corruption in the PNP and takes seriously the internal-cleansing program,” he said.
He notes that the PNP has a very good record of procurement for the last 3 years with absorptive capacity of 98 percent with no protests from proponents or watchdogs.
