THE Philippine National Police is eyeing two brand new helicopters in its inventory in what police observers said was an apparent attempt to boost its anti-criminality campaign to enhance mobility during emergency situations in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces.
PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa revealed the plans hours after the yearly “traslacion” of the Black Nazarene kicked-off Monday at the bayside Luneta Granstand.
Dela Rosa was monitoring the security atmosphere on the Black Nazarene procession inside Camp Crame while wishing he could oversee overhead the entire situation.
“How I wish I had a helicopter to make a fly-over at the crowd in the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene,” Dela Rosa told reporters.
The PNP has deployed thousands of policemen in Manila, particularly at the periphery of the Black Nazarene entourage, to ensure peace, order and stability.
Dela Rosa had high hopes for the planned acquisition of the two helicopters, included in the budgetary program requirement of the institution for 2017.
“I’m very hopeful that eventually we could buy the two helicopters,” Dela Rosa said.
He said the acquisition had been discussed and submitted for approval during last year’s 2017 budgetary deliberations at the Senate which in turn got affirmative and favorable response from Senators J.V Ejercito Estrada and Ralph Recto.
“We are very thankful to our senators in trying to have the PNP [acquire the] two helicopters,” Dela Rosa said.
The PNP submitted to Congress last year a proposed budget amounting to P110.4 billion, 24.6 percent higher than its 2016 budget, that included hiring of more personnel, purchase of guns and patrol vehicles to intensify its suppression of criminality.
Dela Rosa, however, failed to give detailed specifications on the choppers .
In 2013, the PNP included in its shopping list two attack helicopters designed to suppress insurgency and terrorism during the Aquino administration, but fell short of it target date.
Dela Rosa defended the procurement of brand new helicopters due to its economical advantage compared to second-hand type of choppers, citing it could incur controversy, worse, or might just put him, according to him, in bad light.
Previously, the PNP had three second-helicopters – models Robinson R44 Raven II and two Robinson R44 Raven I, in its inventory – acquired in 2009, but were ordered grounded following controversy surrounding their acquisition.
Aside from utilizing the choppers for anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism, the PNP helicopters would also be utilized in disaster response and other critical situations at any given time.