Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo on Tuesday said former Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa and six of his subordinates were "liable" for the anomalous purchase of overpriced three helicopters in 2009. Robredo said these officials were "initially found liable, based on records, for the anomalous transaction and for approving the payment of P104.9 million" for two of the three helicopters that were found to be second-hand but were sold as brand new. Aside from Verzosa, also liable for the transaction were:
Chief Supt. George Piano, chairman of the PNP Acceptance/Inspection Committee; Sr. Supt. Luis Saligumba, committee member; Sr. Supt Nolan Antonio, committee member; Supt. Edgar Paatan, committee member; PO3 Avensuel Dy, property inspector; and Supt. Mansue Lukban, chief of the Management Division of the Directorate for Comptrollership. Reached for comment, Verzosa's spokesman Benjamin delos Santos said the former PNP chief welcomed any investigation into the alleged overpriced equipment. Verzosa, who is in Pangasinan, said "systems and procedures are in place in the PNP bidding processes." Robredo said Piano and the committee members conducted an inspection and evaluation of the two choppers and eventually approved the purchase, saying the equipment "conformed to the National Police Commission's specifications and passed the acceptance criteria." However, Robredo said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) already has evidence to show otherwise. He said their evidence would prove that the two PNP Light Police Operational Helicopters (LPOH) were second-hand units and have already recorded 500 flying hours prior to their sale. Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier bared that the price of the two second-hand choppers and a third one totalled to P105 million. The lawmaker also said the helicopters were formerly owned by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and eventually sold to the PNP as "brand new" units for its elite Special Action Force unit in 2009. Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo already denied Lacson's accusations, saying the chopper that once belonged to their family firm LTA Incorporated has actually been sold to another private firm first before the PNP acquired it. Lacson has been at loggerheads with the Arroyos for years, with the former accusing the latter of involvement in various government anomalies. He once accused the former First Gentleman of having secret bank accounts under the name “Jose Pidal" to launder money. Lacson fled the country in January last year after the court issued a warrant of arrest against him for his alleged involvement in the November 2000 killing of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. He cited "harassment" from the Arroyo administration as his reason for leaving the Philippines. The senator eventually returned to the country in March this year after the Court of Appeals ordered the dismissal of the charges against him. - VVP, GMA News 
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