COA flags P1.89 B Mahindra patrol vehicle purchase, PNP scholarship program
By Roel Tibay
Published Jun 30, 2018 08:01 pm
By Ben Rosario
The Commission on Audit has flagged the purchase by the Philippine National Police of some P1.89 billion worth of patrol vehicles manufactured by an Indian car manufacturer in 2015.
Commission on Audit
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) In its 2017 annual audit report, COA raised various questions about the acquisition of the vehicles as it noted that changes in the specifications of the type and make of the vehicles resulted in the PNP ordering inferior standard patrol vehicles than what orginally recommended. In the same audit report, the state audit agency also observed that the PNP scholarship program for children of policemen, firemen, and jail guards killed in the line of duty has not been “fairly and equitably” implemented. While COA lauded the scholarship program that included children of martyrs of the Mamasapano and Marawi City bloodbath among the beneficiaries, auditors noted that lack of uniform policy guidelines for implementation spoils the charitable objective of the program. In its audit observation on the acquisition of some 1,900 Mahindra vehicles in 2015, COA noted that the lack of “operational needs assessment pushed back the full attainment of the “ objective so the Capability Enhancement Program of the PNP. State auditors chided the PNP for recommending to the National Police Commission type and make of vehicle to be purchased, saying that the agency’ made “unsound changes: in the minimum standard specifications and in effect, resulted in the purchase of vehicles that have been bothered with “frequent breakdowns, poor after sales services and limited availability of spare parts.” It will be recalled that the PNP purchased 1,656 Mahindra Enforcers worth P1.543 billion and 398 Mahindra Scorpio Light Transport Vehicles oworth P349.44 million in 2015. The first batch of Mahindra Enforcers was delivered ahead of the Scorpio. The 2,054 patrol vehicles were intended for distribution to all PNP units throughout the country for their respective anti-crime responses, disaster relief and rescue operations and patrol. It was noted that the PNP failed to conduct an operational needs assessment that should have identified the needed resources and its capabilities “to achieve operational targets. Basic questions that should have responded to the type of vehicles and number of needed units, the load capacity, availability of service centers and spare parts, COA said. “It follows that during the procurement planning of the patrol vehicles, there was no careful assessment as to the identification of the particular type of vehicle that is appropriate and most suited for emergency situations or hot pursuit operations vis-à-vis the nature of crimes considering that the patrol vehicles are intended to be utilized for mission-related activities,” COA lamented. The study should have also considered the nature and location of crimes, the actual road conditions, and traffic environment challenges before the vehicle to be purcahsed was recommended’ COA also chided the PNP Uniform and Equipment Standardization Board for proposing new specifications in the proposed type of vehicle to be acquired in 2015, recommending that instead of a 2,400 cc displacement, vehicles to be purchased must have 2,195 cc. Changes were also recommended for the Scorpio although it was already noted that the first batch of Mahindra's was already giving police units problems. “In both cases, the changes resulted ot new specifications of patrol vehicles below the previous standards used by the PNP which could lead to the acquisiton of police vehicles with reduced capabilties compared to the existing patrol jeeps and LTVs acquired in the previous years that passed that standards required for high capability or more powerful patrol jeeps,” the COA report stated. “The procurement, therefore, raised the question with regard the decision made by the management considering that months before the public bidding, PNP has been aware of the current defects of the earlier delivered Mahindra enforces and should have been a warning to take a second look on the capability and reliability of Manindra manufacturers,” it added.
Commission on Audit(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) In its 2017 annual audit report, COA raised various questions about the acquisition of the vehicles as it noted that changes in the specifications of the type and make of the vehicles resulted in the PNP ordering inferior standard patrol vehicles than what orginally recommended. In the same audit report, the state audit agency also observed that the PNP scholarship program for children of policemen, firemen, and jail guards killed in the line of duty has not been “fairly and equitably” implemented. While COA lauded the scholarship program that included children of martyrs of the Mamasapano and Marawi City bloodbath among the beneficiaries, auditors noted that lack of uniform policy guidelines for implementation spoils the charitable objective of the program. In its audit observation on the acquisition of some 1,900 Mahindra vehicles in 2015, COA noted that the lack of “operational needs assessment pushed back the full attainment of the “ objective so the Capability Enhancement Program of the PNP. State auditors chided the PNP for recommending to the National Police Commission type and make of vehicle to be purchased, saying that the agency’ made “unsound changes: in the minimum standard specifications and in effect, resulted in the purchase of vehicles that have been bothered with “frequent breakdowns, poor after sales services and limited availability of spare parts.” It will be recalled that the PNP purchased 1,656 Mahindra Enforcers worth P1.543 billion and 398 Mahindra Scorpio Light Transport Vehicles oworth P349.44 million in 2015. The first batch of Mahindra Enforcers was delivered ahead of the Scorpio. The 2,054 patrol vehicles were intended for distribution to all PNP units throughout the country for their respective anti-crime responses, disaster relief and rescue operations and patrol. It was noted that the PNP failed to conduct an operational needs assessment that should have identified the needed resources and its capabilities “to achieve operational targets. Basic questions that should have responded to the type of vehicles and number of needed units, the load capacity, availability of service centers and spare parts, COA said. “It follows that during the procurement planning of the patrol vehicles, there was no careful assessment as to the identification of the particular type of vehicle that is appropriate and most suited for emergency situations or hot pursuit operations vis-à-vis the nature of crimes considering that the patrol vehicles are intended to be utilized for mission-related activities,” COA lamented. The study should have also considered the nature and location of crimes, the actual road conditions, and traffic environment challenges before the vehicle to be purcahsed was recommended’ COA also chided the PNP Uniform and Equipment Standardization Board for proposing new specifications in the proposed type of vehicle to be acquired in 2015, recommending that instead of a 2,400 cc displacement, vehicles to be purchased must have 2,195 cc. Changes were also recommended for the Scorpio although it was already noted that the first batch of Mahindra's was already giving police units problems. “In both cases, the changes resulted ot new specifications of patrol vehicles below the previous standards used by the PNP which could lead to the acquisiton of police vehicles with reduced capabilties compared to the existing patrol jeeps and LTVs acquired in the previous years that passed that standards required for high capability or more powerful patrol jeeps,” the COA report stated. “The procurement, therefore, raised the question with regard the decision made by the management considering that months before the public bidding, PNP has been aware of the current defects of the earlier delivered Mahindra enforces and should have been a warning to take a second look on the capability and reliability of Manindra manufacturers,” it added.