Two H 125 helicopters will be stationed in Davao Region next year, a police official said Monday.

Police Maj. Eudisan Gultiano, spokesperson of Police Regional Office in Region 11 (PRO-11), told the Philippine News Agency that the two units can be expected in February 2021.

Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, PRO-11 director, said the deployment is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s instruction to deploy air assets of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“It will further assist in law enforcement operations; conduct of tactical, search and rescue, disaster relief, and urgent field or staff flight operations,” Escobal added.

Escobal said they recently conducted an aerial inspection of the proposed location for an air station in the Davao region.

In preparation for its operationalization, Escobal also vowed to facilitate the usufruct agreement between the local government of the Island Garden City of Samal, where the proposed Air Unit station will be established.

“By having said helicopters, police operation, especially those that need urgency and speed, and aerial support could be performed faster and efficiently. Furthermore, airlift support would be readily available if needed,” Escobal added.