OFFICIALS of the Philippine National Police are again in hot water, this time over the anomalous repair of tanks.

PNP Director General Raul M. Bacalzo ordered an investigation into the alleged irregular P409.74 million contract given to suppliers in 2007 to repair and refurbish 28 police tanks otherwise known as V-150 Light Armored Vehicles or LAVs. Initial investigation showed that the suppliers were paid seven months before the job was done.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero A. Cruz, Jr. said Bacalzo ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group headed by Director Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr. to determine the criminal liability of some officers and men and several PNP suppliers involved in the multi-million peso contract.

The CIDG investigation will seek to determine the liability of each of those involved.

Cruz said President Benigno Aquino was already informed of the results of the initial investigation.

A six-man Fact-Finding Committee found gross violations of procurement procedures in the awarding of the contract to repair and refurbish the 28 tanks which were used by the elite Special Action Force and the Regional Public Safety Battalions.

Cruz said the committee noted the haste with which the claims were processed and the suppliers were paid in January 2007. He said the contract violated Commission on Audit regulations since the cost of the repair is more than 30 percent of the acquisition cost of the tanks.

Of the 28 refurbished LAVs, only 15 are serviceable.

The PNP is also seeking higher-level inquiry into the wisdom of the issuance in 2007 of a National Police Commission Resolution ordering the recall of all V-150 LAVs without any prior Technical Inspection Report.

Should the concerned suppliers and contractors be found involved in irregularities in the procurement process, Cruz said they will be recommended for blacklisting with the Government Procurement Policy Board and forever banned from transacting business with the PNP.

“We would like to rid the procurement system of certain defects and dysfunctions and maintain utmost transparency and accountability in all transactions particularly those involving procurement of supplies and equipment,’ Cruz said. “Thus, the PNP seeks to form a Technical Working Group with representatives from COA and Napolcom to conduct a study on how to improve the PNP procurement system particularly on the processing of financial claims to ensure that payment is only processed upon or after actual and validated completion of contract.”

The Department of Budget and Management earlier released P1.75 billion to the PNP for its five-year modernization program which will end next year. The fund will be used to buy brand-new equipment for the police including guns, digital base, mobile and hand-held radios and vehicles to help further improve the PNP’s ability to move, investigate and communicate.

Officials said all measures are already in place to prevent the repetition of bidding anomalies such as the purchase of two used helicopters passed off as brand-new during the Arroyo administration.