Ex-PNP execs in hot water over anomalies in repair of armored vehicles

Five retired police officers, including former Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon Jr., are set to face an investigation over alleged anomalies in the repair of light armored vehicles in 2007 that cost the government P409 million, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said Wednesday. In a statement, Cruz said PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to start the probe after a fact-finding committee found several irregularities in the transaction. "The CIDG investigation seeks to determine the individual liability of concerned individuals under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act," Cruz said. The PNP spokesperson said among the former PNP officials who will be invited to the probe are Razon, former Bids and Awards committee chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla, and former inspection committee chair Superintendent Warlito Tubon. Also facing investigation are retired Director Rey Roderos, retired Chief Superintendent Mario San Diego, and retired Chief Superintendent Teodorido Lapus. Cruz said the fact-finding committee discovered “gross violations of procurement procedures" in the awarding of the contract to repair and refurbish 28 units of V-150 light armored vehicles in 2007. The vehicles were used mainly by the PNP’s Special Action Force and the Regional Public Safety Battalions, then called the Regional Mobile Groups. Of the 28 vehicles which underwent the questionable repairs, 13 units are currently “unserviceable" due to breakdowns and defects, according to Cruz. Violations Cruz said the fact-finding team found out that the repair contract violated regulations from the Commission on Audit (COA) banning repairs that will cost more than 30 percent of the vehicles’ original acquisition cost. He added that the committee also noted irregularities in the bidding for the repair contracts. "There was absence of a pre-bidding conference. ‘Yun pong mga bidding documents, hindi kumpleto, and ‘yun pong publication was done in haste at kung ‘yung nakasaad na bilang ng araw na pagpublish ng bidding activity na ito," he said. The committee also said the contracts were processed "in haste" and that the suppliers were paid seven years before the first refurbished units were delivered. The winning suppliers in the questionable contracts — Enviro-Aire Inc., RJP International Trading Construction & General Services, and Evans Spare Parts Motorworks RPR and Trading— will also be invited to the investigation, according to Cruz. Enviro-Aire Inc. was previously linked to the allegedly overpriced purchase of police rubber boats and motor engines worth P13.5 million in 2009. Cruz added that Bacalzo also ordered a "higher level inquiry" into why the National Police Commission (Napolcom) initiated the repair of the armored vehicles "without any prior technical inspection report and assessment of end users." — RSJ/KBK, GMA News