4 cops face ouster over defective boats

Four officers of the National Police-Logistics Support Service’s Inspection and Acceptance Committee are facing dismissal from service for undue intervention in the purchase of 16 “defective and unserviceable” patrol boats in March 2010, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The case of the defective boats came as the national police was grappling with two other controversial deals, one involving the second-hand helicopters, and the other, “ghost” repair contracts.
Secretary Jesse Robredo identified those facing ouster over the defective boats are Superintendents Job Marasigan, Leodegario Bisaya and Juanito Estrebor, along with Chief Insp. Renelfa Saculles, all members of the committee, which also approved the P4.9 million payment for the patrol boats to the supplier Four Petals Trading.
Citing an Aug. 5 report of National Police director general Raul Bacalzo, Robredo said the 16 boats were delivered by Four Petals Trading on March 10, 2010 but the police’s maritime group noted several defects in the boats.
The supplier failed to correct the defects despite repeated demands from the national police, Robredo said.
Without the knowledge of the maritime group, Four Petals Trading was able to collect the contract price based on an inspection report prepared by the four police officers, Robredo said.
The officers issued a resolution to accept the boats and certified that the patrol craft conformed to the specifications set by the National Police Commission specifications. On the basis of these documents, the supplier managed to collect payment for the defective motor boats.
Robredo said based on the inspection report of the Maritime Group’s technical inspection committee, the patrol boats, which were supposed to be gasoline-fed, turned out to be diesel-fed. “The engines are not operational, the boats had no rudder and post, had damaged outrigger, no ampere gauge, no canvass, no hole at the back portion of the starboard side, no alternator, stocked-up transmission and no heater plug,” the report said.
“The above-mentioned officers led by Supt. Marasigan clearly acted in bad faith when they issued an inspection report and arrogated upon themselves the authority which was delegated to the PNP Maritime Group Inspection in the procurement of the 16 motorized bancas,” the report said