(Eagle News) — The Senate committee on national defense and security will invite Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to its probe into the Navy’s P15.5-billion frigate acquisition project.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, one of the committee’s vice chairs,” said in a radio interview over dzbb that apart from Lorenzana, former Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado and newly installed FOIC Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad would be invited.
Earlier, the Senate said Bong Go, who was alleged to have intervened in the selection of the two frigates’ Combat Management Systems, would also be invited.
Go, who has vehemently denied the allegations, said he would attend the hearing, which Lacson said would be slated in February.
It was the Senate opposition bloc composed of Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Francis Pangilinan, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino and Franklin Drilon who filed the resolution calling for an inquiry into the project.
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano has claimed Mercado had been sacked for “jeopardizing” the project in which Go “intervened.”
But Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Go could not have interfered in the selection of the CMS as alleged as the bidding for the same and for the two frigates, and the selection of the winning bidder already took place during then-President Benigno Aquino III’s time.
He emphasized that the bidding for the CMS was not done separately from the bidding for the ships.
Lorenzana and Mercado have also cleared Go.
