Nakuha na ng Philippine National Police (PNP) ang 10 high-speed tactical watercraft para sa seaborne at coastal patrols sa pinakabagong pagbili ng mga bagong kagamitan na nagkakahalaga ng mahigit P576 milyon.
Sinabi ni PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos na ang bawat watercraft ay pinapagana ng triple 250 horsepower engine.
“The new seacraft will beef-up the existing fleet of police gunboats currently in service with the PNP Maritime Group and Special Action Force for seaborne police operations and preventive patrol along the country’s 36,000-kilometer shoreline, and coastal borders,” sabi ni Carlos.
Bukod sa high-speed seacraft, binili rin ang 34 six-wheel utility trucks, 123 4×2 patrol vehicles, 170 lowband VHF tactical radio sets, at 1,628 handheld Digital Mobile Radio transceivers.
Ang pagbili ay bahagi ng badyet na inilaan para sa modernisasyon ng PNP sa ilalim ng Capability Enhancement Program para sa mga taong 2020 at 2021.
“These vehicles and communication equipment make up the backbone of police operations the field that are expected to further boost police patrol and visibility in land and sea environment to meet requirements for greater police presence in communities under heightened COVID Alert levels,” ani Carlos.
Napapanahon aniya ang pagdating ng mga bagong biling kagamitan para sa pambansa at lokal na halalan.
“Especially with more communication equipment available, we can now swiftly provide immediate rapid reaction to calls for police assistance and emergency response,” ani Carlos.
Aaron Recuenco
