(Eagle News) — The warship that was procured under the Philippine Navy’s controversial frigate acquisition project will be delivered in 2020.
This was the revelation of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on the sidelines of a hearing by the House Committee on National Defense and Security on the deal.
“So it is continuing now…. Medyo made-delay lang ng six months, but it will be delivered,” he told reporters.
During the hearing, Lorenzana noted that the contract awarded to Hyundai Heavy Industries specified that it had the right to choose the combat management system of the frigate, noting also that the one it chose was compliant.
He said, however, that Mercado had insisted on Thales’ Tacticos as the frigate’s CMS, in violation of the procurement act.
“Because of personal interest, the Philippine Navy and the AFP in general have been negatively affected as being shadowed on the positive accomplishments we have accumulated through the years,” he said.
He said, however, that former Flag Officer in Command, Vice-Admiral Ronald Mercado insisted on using Thales’ Tacticos for the combat management system (CMS) of the frigate, in violation of contract agreement that gave Hyundai Heavy Industries the sole right to select the system to be installed.
This, he said, was a violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act.
But Mercado denied Lorenzana’s allegations, noting that itt was his “pure and honest intention to strictly implement the provisions of the frigate contract according to its literal and technical meaning consistent with the Commission on Audit rules and regulations.”
Special Assistant to the President Bong Go was also embroiled in the controversy, after he was accused of intervening in the project.
Go, however, has denied the allegations.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also noted that Go could not have intervened as the contract was already a “done deal” during the time of then-President Benigno Aquino III.
