EIGHTEEN of the 34 brand new Hilux patrol cars that were issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas were turned over to Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo).
Of the total number, six were given to BCPO and 12 to Nocppo.
The turnover rites led by Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, PRO-Western Visayas director, was held at the regional headquarters at Camp Martin Teofilo B. Delgado in Iloilo City Wednesday, July 18.
Senior Inspector Aireen Cordua, public information officer of Nocppo, said nine of the 12 vehicles were given to the police stations in the cities of Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, La Carlota, Sagay, Silay, San Carlos, Kabankalan, Victorias, and Talisay, and municipalities of E.B. Magalona, and Hinoba-an.
Cordua said each police station in the province has at least two patrol vehicles, adding that they also previously received Mahindra patrol cars.
For BCPO, those remaining police stations with only one patrol car were provided with the additional vehicles.
Other recipients of the patrol vehicles were Guimaras Provincial Police Office, two; Iloilo Police Provincial Office, 12; K9 unit, one; and regional office, one.
Bulalacao, in his media interview, said the patrol cars will be utilized to further improve the response time of policemen to all incidents. It can also be used for other purposes that can benefit the community and the whole region, he added.