DESPITE some complaints about an earlier batch of Mahindra patrol vehicles, the Provincial Government distributed 23 Indian-made patrol vehicles to 20 police stations and the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO).
The Capitol clarified that it is not the same model that police had been complaining about.
The vehicles were purchased at a cost of P23.89 million.
The police stations of Alcantara, Alegria, Argao, Badian, Catmon, Compostela, Daanbantayan, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Medellin, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Oslob, Ronda, Samboan, Santander, San Francisco, San Remigio, Sogod and Tuburan each received one patrol vehicle, while the CPPO received three.
COA finding
Last July, the Mahindra Enforcer and Scorpio patrol vehicles that were initially given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to the Philippine National Police became controversial when these were deemed unfit for law enforcement operations by the Commission on Audit (COA).
It was also said that there are no service centers for the vehicles, and auto parts have to be ordered abroad, which is why fixing them takes a while.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 received 160 Mahindra patrol vehicles from the DILG in 2015.
Earlier this year, PRO 7 Director Debold Sinas said 25 units were no longer roadworthy. The remaining 135 units could still be used for patrols, but they all had mechanical problems.
Sinas ordered the police to take good care of the serviceable vehicles and not overuse them.
Most of the problems encountered by the PRO 7 have to do with the vehicles’ brakes, airconditioning units, transmissions and tire rods.
Gov. Hilario Davide III, for his part, said the Mahindra model they distributed to the police stations and the CPPO is the Xylo and not the Enforcer or the Scorpio.
“It’s (Mahindra is) cheaper than the other brands. The complaint against Mahindra is that it doesn’t have a service center, but there’s one in Cebu,” the governor said in Cebuano.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, who attended the turnover of the vehicles, said Gateway Motors, the dealer of Mahindra here in Cebu, was the lowest bidder, which was why it was picked to supply the patrol vehicles.
She said the procurement of the vehicles followed the guidelines issued by the COA.
Grateful
“In the meantime, wa’ ta’y mahimo kay (there’s nothing we can do because) that is the law,” she said.
Michael Goho of Gateway Motors assured that the Xylo model is of good quality.
Goho said their service center is located along Gorordo Ave. in Cebu City. He said parts are also available in case the vehicles break down.
He said the Xylo was tailor-made for police operations.
“It’s different. It was specially made for the police,” he said in Cebuano.
Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Manuel Abrugena, CPPO director, was grateful to the Province for the patrol vehicles.
The vehicles, he said, can provide police presence along the highways, places of convergence and improve their response time during incidents.
He said 13 of their 50 Mahindra patrol vehicles are not functional due to mechanical defects.
“The repair will take long due to scarcity of parts,” Abrugena said.
The police official admitted that their patrol operations were affected as a result.
Abrugena said they had to borrow vehicles from local government units so they could transport personnel and conduct mobile patrols.
“We realign some of our vehicles. We have to get a vehicle from one police station to lend it to another police station,” he said.
Next year, the Capitol plans to distribute patrol vehicles to more police stations. (AZLG of SuperBalita, KAL)