Ano to follow Duterte order to handle procurement of PNP

January 14, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano on Tuesday said he will follow the instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte to handle the procurement process of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and assured the public there will be no corruption under his watch.

Ano made the statement after Duterte last Monday removed the procurement powers of the PNP after he find out they tried to buy radar speed guns for P950, 000 each.

“I abide by the wisdom of the President and I will follow his instruction,” Ano said in a message to reporters.

The interior secretary said the PNP made a “very glaring mistake” in its presentation during the last Joint Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-PNP Command Conference after it mixed up terms and figures.

“But I believe it was an honest mistake. I ordered Police Lieutenant General Archie Gamboa to explain and submit report to the President,” he said.

“Under my watch I will not allow corruption in all the bureaus under DILG,” Ano added.

Ano said the PNP has conducted all its procurement transactions properly in the last two years.

On the part of PNP, Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, police spokesperson said they submitted their explanation to the secretary.

“The SILG has asked the PNP for an explanation on the supposed overpriced speed guns and the PNP has already submitted its explanation. We leave it now to the President to consider our explanation,” Banac said in a press briefing.

He said the PNP respects and also abides by the decision of Duterte to remove the procurement of equipment as one of their administrative functions.

“We will endeavor to work this out in accord with our own procurement rules and systems specified by law,” Banac said.

“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,” he added.

He said Duterte ''unexpectedly'' approved the supposed procurement plan of the PNP for the guns and this plan has yet to undergo bidding process.

Banac said the PNP apologized for the misunderstanding caused by the early presentation of the plan.

“We presented the plan, our wishlist but this is not what we called submission for the approval of the President… unexpectedly he approved the presentation that’s why we are apologizing for that incident,” Banac said.

The PNP assured the public that they will never allow corruption in the PNP.

“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,” Banac said.

Banac said the decision of the president will not affect the leadership of Gamboa.  Ella Dionisio/DMS