PSG ‘fully implemented’ purchase of bomb-sniffing dogs for Duterte security — COA

The Presidential Security Group (PSG) has "fully implemented" the Commission on Audit's recommendation to acquire more bomb-sniffing dogs to ensure the safety of President Rodrigo Duterte, the COA said in its 2017 audit report.

The COA said the PSG last year purchased 18 "military working dogs" after including their procurement in the 2018 budget of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The dogs arrived in two tranches: first 11 dogs, followed by the remaining seven.

2016 audit

In its 2016 report, the COA said the PSG only had 20 effective bomb-sniffing dogs remaining in its inventory as of December 31, 2016 following the retirement of 14 dogs. 

The commission said that the number of bomb-sniffing dogs in the PSG should be at least 25 for it to fulfill its "prime duty in protecting the President through effective bomb detection operations during presidential engagements."

The COA report further noted that five out of the 20 dogs were due for retirement in 2018.

The audit also found that the PSG was unable to procure any additional bomb-sniffing dogs for the last 12 years, saying almost all of the existing effective bomb-sniffing dogs were donations.

41 active dogs

The PSG implemented the COA recommendations when it acquired the first batch of 11 bomb-sniffing dogs "essential for bomb detection operations during presidential engagements" followed by the acquisition of seven more for the "protective secutiry operation" for Duterte and other very, very important persons.

The COA said the 18 new dogs will complement the PSG's existing 23 "effective" military dogs, for a total of 41 dogs.

Three retired dogs, meanwhile, were adopted by their former handlers.

On Sunday, Duterte called on local officials to defy "stupid" COA circulars, even going as far as telling that a COA employee should be pushed down the stairs.

He also said that COA has not contributed to national development and that its circulars that cover government transactions are meaningless unless they are passed into law.

The office of COA chairperson Michael Aguinaldo refused to comment on the president's remarks. — BM, GMA News