Police, Army units in S. Cotabato get new motorcycles

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 25): Police, Army units in S. Cotabato get new motorcycles

The provincial government of South Cotabato has released seven more service motorcycles to local police and Army units as it continues to help beef up their operational capabilities.

South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said Tuesday the new motorcycles were part of the augmentation requested from the local government last year by the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB).

She said the motorcycles, which were worth a total of PHP667,000, comprise six Honda XR150 and a Honda XRM125 units.

Four of the units were formally turned over on Monday to the 27IB, two to the Surallah municipal police station, and one to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-South Cotabato.

Fuentes said the brand new motorcycles were purchased through the local government’s peace and order funds.
She said the funding was approved by the provincial board or Sangguniang Panlalawigan based on an endorsement from the Provincial Peace and Order Council.

The motorcycles were included in the augmentation request endorsed by the council for the last quarter of 2016.

The governor said the provincial government is currently processing additional requests submitted by the concerned units for 2017.

“These are for different needs, mainly equipment and other items that will make their operations more efficient,” she told reporters.

Fuentes assured that the local government will continue to provide the necessary assistance to local law enforcement units, which she acknowledged to be in dire need of their support.

For instance, she said they found out that the CIDG provincial office had no “working” service vehicle prior to the release of the lone motorcycle.

“We’re currently working on including some of their needs in our next supplemental budget,” she said.

Last year, the provincial government released several motorcycle units and personal computers to local police and military units as part of the initiative.

The local government also provides fuel subsidies and incentives for successful operations, especially in the anti-illegal drug campaign.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/982360