Napolcom exec grilled at Senate probe on choppers

August 26,2011
THE National Police Commission (Napolcom) on Thursday struggled to explain to senators how it came up with specifications for Light Police Operational Helicopters (LPOH) that the police bought in 2009.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, at the hearing on the alleged anomalous purchase of second-hand choppers by the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Napolcom based its specification on wrong data.
According to Napolcom specifications on LPOH released in 2008, the PNP required helicopters that could fly 2,600 at a minimum cruising speed of 100 knots.
But Lacson said the Napolcom evaluated two helicopters, the Enstrom F28F and 280FX, based on their cruising speeds while carrying just 2,350 pounds.
Meanwhile, it evaluated the Robinson Raven I, the model the police bought in 2009, on a mission weight of 2,400 pounds.
Napolcom staff service chief Conrado Sumanga Jr. explained that their numbers were based on a 2008 sales brochure, while Lacson was using one released in 2011.
“We did not have access to that in 2008,” he said.
Under questioning by Senator Sergio Osmeña III, Sumanga faltered in explaining what the Napolcom meant when it specified a minimum speed for helicopters.
“A helicopter can have a speed of zero miles per hour if it’s hovering. Is this the never-exceed speed?” Osmeña asked.
The never-exceed speed, or Velocity-Never Exceed, is the maximum speed that an aircraft can fly safely.
“Maybe you mean the maximum cruising speed?” Osmena prodded.
Sumanga said that speed meant “how fast the aircraft could fly,” but did not elaborate.
He said the Philippine National Police sent them their requirements — including the minimum air speed — and that they just “checked if they were generic or not.”
Police logistics officer Orlando Co said the specifications were for cruising speed.
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier asked the Napolcom to explain why it had confused miles per hour with knots. He said figures used by the Napolcom showed the Enstrom models flying 112 knots and 117 knots. But specifications from Enstrom show the F28F could fly at 97 knots, or 112 mph. The Enstrom 280FX can do 117 mph, or 102 knots.
Sumanga failed to answer, saying only that the Napolcom data was based on an outdated brochure.
Co later said the figures were accurate since the Napolcom specifications required a maximum gross weight of 2,600 pounds, so the Enstrom helicopters also fell in that category. While the F28F would not qualify, the 280FX would.
This prompted Senator Francis Escudero to ask why they used a maximum and not a minimum weight requirement. “If the specifications require a maximum of four passengers but the helicopter can only carry the pilot, would that still qualify?” he asked.
Co answered that it would.
Sumanga said at the last hearing that the Napolcom changed the specifications in April 2008 so more helicopter models would qualify for the contract. The first set of specifications was released in February that year.
Senator Franklin Drilon said Wednesday that the new specifications disqualified the Enstrom helicopters. He said the specifications seem to have been modified so the PNP would buy Robinson Raven I helicopters believed owned by Jose Miguel Arroyo.
In a related development, the head of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) told senators that the agency found enough evidence to bring the case to the Office of the Ombudsman by next week.
“We can actually file cases already,” Pagdilao said, adding his unit is already finishing up its investigation.
He said some of the police officers involved in the P105-million deal “deferred to appear before us so they can appear before this honorable Senate to give their statements,” CIDG Director Samuel Pagdilao said at the hearing.
Manila Aerospace Products Trading (Maptra) president Hilario De Vera as well as Lionair Inc. president Archibald Po may also be charged over the deal, he said. Both De Vera and Po have appeared in previous Senate blue ribbon committee hearing.
De Vera has said that Mike Arroyo was behind the deal, while Po has testified that Arroyo owns two of the helicopters that the PNP bough as brand new but had actually been flying since 2004. Maptra, acting as a distributor for Lionair, sold the helicopters to the PNP in 2009.
De Vera has said that the police knew the helicopters were “service-center conditioned” when his company bid for the contract.
Senator Osmeña asked Pagdilao to also look into why the PNP did not get a better deal on the helicopters. He said that a brand-new Robinson Raven I would only cost around P19 million to P21 million. Lacson added that the PNP could have bought a Robinson Raven II for just P19 million.

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/08/25/napolcom-exec-grilled-senate-probe-choppers-175398

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