MANILA, Philippines – Body armor used by Manila Police District’s (MPD) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers do not meet international standards, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno admitted on Thursday.

He said the government plans to replace the substandard bullet-proof vests with new ones that can protect officers from gunfire.

He said the Philippine National Police did not do research before buying the previous batch of gear given to police officers nationwide.

Puno, however, said the error has been corrected, and almost 1,000 pieces of “Level 4A” vests that can protect users from bullets from assault rifles are set to be distributed to police.

He said other problems surfaced during an inventory of equipment bought for police.

These include the purchase of military boots that were too large for police officers to use.

Puno echoed a statement made by President Benigno Aquino III, who criticized the quality of equipment being used by the MPD SWAT team during the August 23 hostage crisis.

SWAT officers had told the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) looking into the hostage incident that they had no confidence in the equipment they were using during the assault on the Hong Thai Travel tour bus last August 23.

The policemen said they were aware that bullets from the M16 assault rifle of hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza can pierce through their vests, which, they said, were already “expired.”

Aquino said he found proof supporting the SWAT officers’ concerns.

He said he has ordered an internal investigation to identify the people responsible for the manufacture of sub-standard vests.

Aquino said the investigation has identified those responsible, hinting that the suspects were also involved in a previous anomalous transaction.