Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 13) — President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday he is barring the Philippine National Police (PNP) from procuring their own equipment and told Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to take over instead, to prevent corruption.
Duterte said he was informed that the police reportedly obtained traffic radar guns at a higher price. He said the guns usually cost about ₱10,000 per unit but he was told that the police acquired them at P950,000 per unit.
“Itong pulis, isa rin ‘yan [These police officers] I removed the power of the PNP to procure equipments kasi ‘yung [because the] speed gun in Davao costs us about 10,000,” he told reporters when he visited the Philippine Marine Corps at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.
“I may be wrong I said but sabi ko kay General Año kahapon kunin mo [I told General Año yesterday, take it]… I will task him to do the procurement and I expect no corruption,” he added.
The President said this serves as a warning to other government offices who practice corruption. He said if this continues he will also prohibit them from procuring equipment and he would have to take matters into his own hands. He said he might even establish a “Bureau of Supply” that will handle procurement, similar to the Department of General Services under former President Ferdinand Marcos.
“Baka maggawa ako ng Bureau of Supply. Doon na ang magbili tapos gusto ko ilista lahat ‘yung tractor kung ano gusto mong p******ng bilhin eroplano ilagay mo presyo ‘yung international pricing para malaman ko kaagad kung magkano, in public,” he said.
[Translation: I might create a Bureau of Supply. We will purchase there and I want them to be listed down, the tractor anything you want to buy, airplane, put the price, the international pricing so I would immediately know the cost, in public.]
He said he would even broadcast the procurement prices on light-emitting diode (LED) screens for the people to see.
