MANILA, Philippines – Senators lamented yesterday that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has no aircraft at its disposal amidst the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs, with all five of its air assets more of liabilities.
Sen. Loren Legarda said the PNP would be better off sending the five grounded helicopters of the police to a museum.
During the budget hearing at the Senate yesterday, Legarda had asked police officials if it has any aircraft available in its arsenal.
Acting PNP Directorate for Comptrollership head Chief Supt. Archie Francisco Gamboa admitted that none of their five helicopters were airworthy due to neglect over the years.
The PNP has three Eurocopters and two Robinson R44 Ravens all of which require repairs and rehabilitation due to neglect.
The two R44 Ravens were purchased by the PNP during the Arroyo administration as brand new helicopters but were later found to be secondhand.
This led to the filing of charges against former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and several other officials of the PNP.
The Sandiganbayan later ordered the grounding of the two helicopters since these were being used as evidence in the case.
“So put it in a museum because why do we risk the lives of our men and women if they are not airworthy? If they are not airworthy, don’t let it fly and don’t ask for maintenance and put it in a museum,” Legarda said.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito lamented that the PNP “has no eye in the sky” amid the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs.
“This is very vital to their operations. I will really push for it in their 2017 budget. If we can acquire one or two helicopters for the PNP, that would be very helpful in the war against illegal drugs and in the fight against criminality,” Ejercito said.
Ejercito said that he would prefer to have the five grounded helicopters refurbished so that the PNP would have something to use for its operations.
For each of the Eurocopters, Ejercito said that it would cost around $800,000 to refurbish. As for the Robinson choppers, he said that refurbishment would cost $200,000 each.
PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said that the PNP could use air assets for its campaign against illegal drugs just like Colombia, which he visited recently.
Dela Rosa said that Colombia has 60 Black Hawk helicopters and over 100 fixed-wing aircraft at its disposal while the PNP has none.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental police director Senior Supt. William Señoron said law enforcers are not affected by the massive disinformation campaign reportedly initiated by individuals affected by the anti-illegal drugs operations.
Señoron claimed that drug suspects are now attempting to link him to the illegal drug trade.
A white paper from an anonymous source was circulated in the local media, with a supposed drug matrix that included several politicians who did not support Duterte during the May 9 elections and police officers, including Señoron, who are actively involved in the anti-drug campaign in Negros Occidental.
Señoron said the persons lobbying for his relief as Negros Occidental police director are behind the circulation of the white paper.
“This is all about black propaganda, which is also aimed at destroying the image of PNP members, who are actively involved in the anti-drug campaign,” he said. – With Gilbert Bayoran