MANILA, Philippines — Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Philippine National Police chief, has ordered the leadership of the Special Action Force and other police units to check the status of unmet contracts flagged by the Commission on Audit.
“I have directed the leadership of the SAF to determine and immediately report to me why some of these procurement contracts have not materialized,” Eleazar said in a statement sent to reporters Tuesday.
“I have also tasked the SAF to report the current status of the contracts,” he added.
This comes after the COA, in its 2020 report, indicated that at least 29 procurement contracts entered into by the elite commando force with various suppliers have not yet been delivered.
RELATED: AFP, PNP flagged over unmet contracts
The commission recommended for the SAF to terminate the contracts for the acquisition of troop carriers, armored vehicles, machine guns, rifles, grenade and rocket launchers, pistols, mortar, parachutes, and tactical vests, among others.
In a reply to the audit report, the SAF said that 13 of the contracts were extended as the delays were not attributed to the suppliers.
It said the contracts were temporarily suspended due to the issuance of Presidential Directive 2018-0090-0091 dated February 4, 2018, which stopped the procurement of helicopters and arms from Canada and the US.
PNP: Our focus is on getting the needed equipment
Eleazar said that he would also consult with the PNP Legal Service on what steps the agency can take moving forward.
“These contracts are for the improvement of the elite force’s operational capability. So our focus here is really to be able to deliver to our SAF the equipment that will help a lot in their operation,” he added in Filipino.
However, the COA in the same report also said that equipment donated to the PNP last year were not listed in the books. The donations were worth around P98.66 million and included 50 BMW bikes and 200 assault rifles, among others.
Eleazar has yet to respond to requests for comment. — with a report from The STAR/Elizabeth Marcelo
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.