MANILA, Philippines - Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers and 4 police districts in Metro Manila received new Glock hand guns, bulletproof vests, and Kevlar helmets on Wednesday.
Director Nicanor Bartolome, head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCPRO), turned over the equipment during a ceremony at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
The equipment include 440 Glock 9mm pistols, 379 armored ballistics vests, 337 Kevlar helmets.
Manila SWAT officers and police earlier drew flak for the botched rescue of Hong Kong tourists taken hostage by a sacked police officer.
The SWAT equipment was turned over to the district directors of the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Quezon City Police Districts, plus the battalion commander of the police Regional Public Safety Batallion.
Bartolome said that the equipment, which came from the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, will be a big boost to current capabilities of the metro SWAT.
"It is important that our SWAT units get the proper equipment, but it is more important that the members have the proper skills, attitude and disposition," he said.
Bartolome also stresssed that the equipment will be property of police units and and will not be issued to individual personnel.
"The equipment must remain with the unit. People will come and go, but the equipment will remain with the unit," he said.
