Audit
funds intended for SWAT - Gov. Chatto
The funds donated for
the establishment of the Special Weapons & Tactics (SWAR) team should be audited
in order for the donors and the public to know how it was being spent. This
was the statement issued by Gov. Edgar Cjhatto amid the mounting criticism on
the non-serviceable SWAT van donated by the Bohol Bankers Association last year. It
was learned that there were quite a number of donors who chipped in their fund
assistance for the realization of the SWAT team created during the term of PNP
Prov'l Director Edgar Ingking which was given the full support of then Gov. Erico
Aumentado. Before
retiring, former PNP Director-General Avelino Razon Jr. allocated P580,000 in
the form of training and equipment to the Bohol SWAT that year. Chatto,
then representative of the first district, Trinidad Mayor Roberto Cajes, then
representative of the second district, and lawyer Adam Jala, former representative
of the third district, contributed P500,000 each for the training of the SWAT
here. Other
donors included the Confederation of Boholanos, USA and Canada, Inc. (Conbusac)
which donated more than P1 million; while the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(BCCI) contributed P600,000.
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the donated van which is a reconditioned vehicle cost onl;y P420,000 when donated
to the SWAT by the bankers group. Bankers
president, Rodney Lumuthang said the association even conducted a raffle draw
last year which generated P1.2 million, intended to help finance the establishment
of SWAT here. PNP
Provl Director Rodolfo Llorca admitted that the SWAT needs more rifles which cost
P78,000 each. | SWAT
needs more equipment including gas masks and other basic needs to be able to respond
to emergencies. Meanwhile,
the bankers group could hardly take the plan of Bohol Police Provincial Office
(BPPO) to convert the SWAT van they donated into a temporary holding station of
jaywalkers. Bankers
president Rodney Lumuthang expressed disappointment upon learning that Police
Provincial Director Rodolfo Llorca mentioned to utilize the unserviceable SWAT
van into a holding station of jaywalkers as pronounced during Friday's episode
of the governor's weekly radio program, "Kita ug ang Gobernador" which
was aired live over the local radio stations. It's
not the original purpose of the SWAT van as donated, according to Lumuthang. Llorca,
however, explained that he came up with the suggestion to place the SWAT van in
a portion of CPG Avenue to serve as temporary holding station of jaywalkers. PNP
opened the training of the Swat team in rites held at the Community Police Action
Center in barangay Bolod, Panglao in time for the activation of Bohol Tourist
Police Unit way back in September 2008..
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