Ecija provincial police office, 22 Ecija cop stations get facelift under PNP’s ‘Oplan Hilamos’

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–The Nueva Ecija Provincial Police Office and 22 police stations have received a much-needed facelift under the Philippine National Police’s “Oplan Hilamos.”

          Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, PNP provincial police director, said of these police stations, the repair and maintenance of 16 has been completed.

          Still on-going are the police director’s quarters and six other police stations.

          Nieves said a total of P4.1 million has been spent for the province under the program. Its release was facilitated by Interior and Local Governments Secretary Manuel Roxas II and PNP Chief, Gen. Alan Purisima.

          Completed were police stations in the municipalities of Cabiao, Carranglan, Gen. Natividad, Gen. Tinio, Guimba, Jaen, Llanera, Lupao, Nampicuan, Quezon, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Talavera, Talugtog and Zaragoza and the city police station in Palayan.

          Nearing completion are police stations in Gabaldon (80%), Sto. Domingo (80%)  and Licab and the cities of Cabanatuan (90%), Gapan (98%) and the Science City of Munoz.   

          “Oplan Hilamos” refers to the repair and maintenance of police stations, particularly leaking roofs, filthy toilets, broken floor tiles and dirty walls.

          The program was pursued by the Aquino administration to enhance public acceptance and perception of PNP offices and personnel.

          Last August, President Aquino approved the release of P170 million for the clean-up of 1,700 police stations nationwide.

Nieves said the clean-up will make police stations conducive places for learning.

VP BINAY SUPPORTS CALLS TO BARE DAP LIST, AUDIT DAP FUNDS

MANILA-Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on Thursday said he supports calls for the full disclosure of all projects funded by the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

In a speech during the regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila, the Vice President said full disclosure is “a good starting point” to prove “good faith” by those who conceived and implemented the controversial program.

“Let me state as a lawyer that the question of accountabilities of government officials would have to be reckoned as part of the legal and logical consequences of this groundbreaking decision. As you all know, the Supreme Court (SC) has placed the onus of proving ‘good faith’ on those who conceived and implemented the DAP,” Binay said.

“But where do we start? For me, a good starting point would be to make available to the public all the projects funded by DAP. This is after all, consistent with the tenets of full transparency that is the cornerstone of the Aquino administration and I do hope my colleagues will reconsider a reported decision to withhold the release of the so-called DAP list,” he added.

Binay said he also supports the proposal of some sectors for an independent audit of the DAP funds.

“And this should be done as soon as possible,” he said.

The Vice President said that speaking as a lawyer, the SC decision and the separate concurring opinions are “rather clear, if not brutally frank, on the matter of accountability.”

“There is no room to speculate or look for hidden clues in the decision of the high court,” he said.

Binay also called for continued vigilance on the so-called Napoles scam.

“It is essential that we see this cleansing of government to its just conclusion—public service without taint of self-interest, without a tinge of deception and political persecution,” he said.

Meanwhile, Binay also expressed disbelief over recent sentiments that life was better during Martial Law.

“It is a sentiment I will not accept. Yes there was peace and quiet, but it was, to paraphrase a famous expression, the peace and quiet of the graveyard,” he said.

“I will never trade one day of freedom for all the illusory trappings of tranquility obtained through force under the dictatorship,” the Vice President added.