By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The minority bloc in the Senate on Friday called for an investigation into the Navy’s P15.7-billion frigate acquisition project.
Senators Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Antonio Trillanes IV, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima filed Resolution No. 584 which they said aimed to look at whether the project–where Special Assistant to the President Bong Go was alleged to have interfered—“complies with pertinent laws.”
The lawmakers said the hearings would determine whether or not the acquisition of the frigates “promotes the goals” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program.
The opposition senators called for the investigation after Go repeatedly denied he interfered in any way, whether directly or indirectly, in the project.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also defended Go from allegations he favored a South Korean contractor to supply the Combat Management Systems of the frigates, saying he could not have done such given the fact that the acquisition memorandum in the contractor’s favor was already entered into on June 7, 2013, during the time of then-President Benigno Aquino III.
Roque said the bidding for the CMS was not done separately from the one for the frigates.
“All that (Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana) did on Aug. 18, 2016 was to issue the notice of award. What does this mean? Well if a contract has been given or awarded that means it is futile to intervene,” he said.
Lorenzana and Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado–who Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano said was sacked as Navy commander after he “jeopardiz(ed)” the project—also denied that Go had made any intervention.
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