PNP chief Camilo Cascolan yesterday said the PNP has acquired P569 million worth of vehicles, firearms and other equipment, boosting the capability of policemen in going after criminals.
Cascolan said the equipment, which he showcased during a press briefing at Camp Crame, were acquired by the PNP Bids and Awards Committee through the Philippine International Trading Corporation.
The items include 92 patrol vehicles, six four-wheel drive troop carriers, 90 units of 1,000 cc motorcycles, 7,700 basic assault rifles and 434 handheld radios.
Cascolan said the equipment will “fill-up the requirements of PNP units for mobility, firepower and communications, which are among the key priorities of our capacity-building, modernization, and development agenda.”
The motorcycles, Cascolan said, will “significantly enhance the PNP’s capability for high-speed tactical police response to street-crimes especially those perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects more notoriously known as riding in tandem.”
Last week, President Duterte ordered the training of more policemen to go after motorcycle-riding criminals. The President also ordered the procurement of more motorcycles for the use of the policemen.
In response to the President’s order, Cascolan said he has ordered an increase in police visibility “by adding more motorcycle patrols to our existing fleet and initiate refresher training to our mounted tactical responders.”
Cascolan said there were 1,324 crimes recorded from January 1 to October 16 this year attributed to 1,958 motorcycle-riding suspects.
“The incidents include 424 murder, 24 homicide, 307 physical injury, 32 rape, 306 robbery, 100 carnapping, and 131 theft cases,” he said.
