THE Philippine National Police yesterday commissioned 359
more land vehicles to further improve its mobility in preventive
patrol operations and emergency response.
PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon, who attended
yesterday’s send-off ceremony for the new vehicles in Camp Crame
with Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, said the 244 multi-purpose
patrol vehicles, 25 squad cars, 18 utility vehicles and 72
motorcycles were acquired through the 2007 capital outlay
savings and congressional allocation, and from the 2008
capability enhancement program of the police force.
"These added logistics will ensure that the PNP will be more
capable and effective in performing its mission to serve and
protect the people," he said.
The PNP maintains a fleet of some 9,000 land vehicles –
consisting of patrol cars, troop carriers, trucks, buses and
motorcycles – distributed among the National Support Units and
17 Police Regional Offices of the country.
The PNP has an annual procurement program for 500 motor
vehicles, 5,000 handguns, and other mission-essential equipment.
Lined up for procurement this year are six light attack
helicopters and 35 medium troop carriers to be used by line
units in internal security operations, and 40 Scene of Crime
Operations vans.
Malacañang has approved a P10-billion modernization fund that
will allow the PNP to acquire more equipment for mobility,
firepower, communication, and investigation.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said the PNP
leadership is pushing more resources and logistics to the field
to meet the operational requirements and to develop all police
stations in the country into "fighting units" against
criminality, insurgency and terrorism.
Razon and Puno also inaugurated at Camp Crame yesterday the
PNP Fitness Center at the police gymnasium. The fitness center
has modern workout machines and gym equipment and is supervised
by professional fitness and body-building instructors. –
Raymond Africa
