Lacson: Helicopters sold to PNP in 2009 owned by Arroyos

The light operational helicopters priced and sold as brand new to the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2009 were previously owned by the family of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Sen. Panfilo Lacson claimed Tuesday. Lacson said he obtained documents which indicate that the Arroyos were the former owners of the Light Police Operational Helicopters (LPOHs) purchased by the PNP for P105 million for its elite Special Action Force (SAF) unit in 2009. "The first couple were so powerful at that time that ramming the used helicopters down the throat of the police was easy and effortless," he said in a statement. "And since the proceeds could exceed the P50-million threshold in a series of acts, those liable are candidate for a plunder case under our existing laws," added Lacson, who served as PNP chief from November 1999 to January 2001. As of posting time, the camp of Mrs. Arroyo has yet to reply to text messages sent by GMA News Online for their comment. Calls made to Elena Bautista-Horn, Mrs. Arroyo's spokesperson, were also unanswered. He made the revelation after he and Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the alleged misrepresentations in the multi-million purchase of the said helicopters. The senators said that on May 8, 2009, the PNP Negotiation Committee started talks with the Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp. (MAPTRA) for the procurement of one equipped LPOH and two standard LPOHs, even though the PNP-SAF’s was in need of three equipped LPOHs. They said that it was then SAF head Chief Superintendent Leocadio Santiago Jr. who modified the SAF's requirements from three equipped LPOHs to one equipped and two standard LPOHs. Then PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa approved the supply contract to pay MAPTRA P104.985 million for the one Robinson R44 Raven II and two Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters. Guingona and Lacson, however, said MAPTRA "intentionally misrepresented" the helicopters they were selling as brand new and the PNP accepted the same as true. They explained that flight logs indicate that the two R44 Raven I choppers sold to the PNP were already "pre-owned" as far back as March 2004. "While it's bad enough that the two units were overpriced and therefore grossly disadvantageous to the government, passing them off as brand-new smacks of brazen deceit and utmost bad faith," said Lacson. — RSJ, GMA News