By JOSEPH HOLANDES UBALDE
Interaksyon.com
AFTER uncovering the lack of due diligence in the 2009 procurement of three overpriced helicopters by the Philippine National Police , Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the whole government then might have committed an error in the deal.
Ponce gave his opinion after questioning the PNP’s resident auditor Jaime Senares during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday. Senares, who is from the Commission on Audit, admitted they did not do a post-audit of the purchase.
“Para bang napakatanga ng gobyerno natin (It seems as though our government is so dumb),” Enrile said.
Sanares incurred the ire of Enrile when he said he did not find any irregularity in the fact that the serial number of the choppers purchased in 2009 have changed.
“I know the auditors are sharp people supposedly, that’s why you are an auditor,” Enrile said. “To tell you the truth the impression now…is that there is a conspiracy to cover up something here.”
Several witnesses from the PNP and private sector have tagged former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo as the one who ordered the sale and purchase of the aircrafts to the PNP.
The three Robinson R44 Raven helicopters were purchased at brand new prices for P105-million despite the fact that two of them had been used by the Arroyo family since 2004.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV commented that the way the PNP and other government officials acted then showed “how powerful the people in Malacanang were” when the transaction was made.
“The PNP officials are even shielding (Mike) Arroyo,” Trillanes said.