MANILA - The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged Philippine National Police for purchasing over 2,000 patrol vehicles deemed unfit for police operations.

The 2017 COA report particularly flagged the 1,656 Mahindra Enforcer patrol units worth P1.5 billion and 398 Mahindra Scorpio light transport units worth P349 million, which the audit firm said were purchased without any operations needs assessment.

The vehicles were worth P1.8 billion in 2015.

Records showed that the vehicles manufactured by the Indian company were purchased from the Columbian Autocar Corporation under sa the PNP's Capability Enhancement Program in March and December 2015, during the previous administration.

COA also noted that the minimum standard specifications for the vehicles, such as seating capacity, torque details, and piston displacement capacity, were lowered, causing the recurring problems on acceleration and engine performance, among others.

There are also no spare parts available for the vehicles in areas where the PNP conducts its operations, the report said, adding that this caused a problem when the police joined the fight against terrorists in Marawi last year.

Citing a survey among uniformed and non-uniformed personnel, the audit report also said the patrol jeeps consume too much fuel.

COA urged the PNP to issue a memorandum circular approved by the National Police Commission to answer the issue on standard specifications.

The PNP is ready to cooperate with the COA and start a probe into the matter, Police Director Jose Maria Victor Ramos, chief of the directorate for logistics said Monday.

Ramos added that the Office of the Ombudsman already launched a probe on the controversy. --report from Joyce Balancio and Henry Atuelan, ABS-CBN News