Gov't firm to push frigate deal despite allegations
Published Feb 19, 2018 01:46 pm
By Genalyn Kabiling
The government is determined to push ahead with the Philippine Navy's frigate acquisition project despite the "malicious" allegations that President Duterte's close aide Christopher Go meddled in the deal.
PCOO Sec. Martin Andanar (Jansen Romero|Manila Bulletin)
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar insisted there was nothing anomalous with the frigate deal, which he described as one of the "best" projects of the Navy to modernize its fleet.
"Tuloy po itong proyektong ito ," Andanar said in a radio interview.
Andanar lamented that the malicious report against Go's alleged intervention in the contract has "overshadowed" the importance of the country's first ever frigate project.
"Ang negative effect po nitong malisyosong report na ito na ipinalabas ng isang online na pahayagan ay nakakalimutan po natin na both the Aquino administration and the Duterte administration agree that this project is one of the best and earth-shaking historical project of the Armed Force of the Philippines and Philippine Navy," he said.
"Wala naman talagang problema dito sa project na ito, kung hindi iyong malicious report lang na lumabas ," he said.
Andanar made the remarks ahead of Go's appearance before the Senate inquiry into the Navy's frigate acquisition project. The President’s assistant was earlier accused of intervening in the selection of a supplier of the frigate's combat management system. He has denied the allegations.
Andanar said Go was expected to "prove his innocence" on the frigate acquisition project during the Senate inquiry.
"This is the perfect day for SAP Bong Go to show the entire Philippines, the entire world na siya po ay inosente at wala po siyang pinakialaman dito sa proyektong ito ,” Andanar said in another radio interview.
"At the Senate, we'll prove to the rest of the world there is no anomaly in this project," he said.
The Philippine government earlier signed a contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries for the building of the new warships in the P15.7 billion deal. The ships are expected to be delivered by 2020.
Andanar acknowledged that the frigates would help improve the Navy's maritime security capability.
"Wala talaga tayong frigate at ngayong magkakaroon ng isang barkong pangdigma na may kakayanan na magpalipad ng surface to air, mga turpido, etc ay talagang napaka-high tech po nitong barko na ito [We don't have any frigate and today we will have a high-tech warship that has the capability to launch surface-to-air, torpedoes etc," he said.
He noted that the frigate acquisition project encountered four to five month-delay, which was one of the reasons Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana got angry with the former Navy chief Ronald Joseph Mercado.
"Ngayon lang nga tayo magkakaroon ng barkong pandigma na brand new na atin, na hindi second hand na binibigay lang and both past administration and this administration support this program," he said.
"Kumbaga, matagal na nating pinagtatawanan itong mga makalumang, mga second hand na barko na dino-donate lang sa atin ," he added.
PCOO Sec. Martin Andanar (Jansen Romero|Manila Bulletin)
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar insisted there was nothing anomalous with the frigate deal, which he described as one of the "best" projects of the Navy to modernize its fleet.
"Tuloy po itong proyektong ito ," Andanar said in a radio interview.
Andanar lamented that the malicious report against Go's alleged intervention in the contract has "overshadowed" the importance of the country's first ever frigate project.
"Ang negative effect po nitong malisyosong report na ito na ipinalabas ng isang online na pahayagan ay nakakalimutan po natin na both the Aquino administration and the Duterte administration agree that this project is one of the best and earth-shaking historical project of the Armed Force of the Philippines and Philippine Navy," he said.
"Wala naman talagang problema dito sa project na ito, kung hindi iyong malicious report lang na lumabas ," he said.
Andanar made the remarks ahead of Go's appearance before the Senate inquiry into the Navy's frigate acquisition project. The President’s assistant was earlier accused of intervening in the selection of a supplier of the frigate's combat management system. He has denied the allegations.
Andanar said Go was expected to "prove his innocence" on the frigate acquisition project during the Senate inquiry.
"This is the perfect day for SAP Bong Go to show the entire Philippines, the entire world na siya po ay inosente at wala po siyang pinakialaman dito sa proyektong ito ,” Andanar said in another radio interview.
"At the Senate, we'll prove to the rest of the world there is no anomaly in this project," he said.
The Philippine government earlier signed a contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries for the building of the new warships in the P15.7 billion deal. The ships are expected to be delivered by 2020.
Andanar acknowledged that the frigates would help improve the Navy's maritime security capability.
"Wala talaga tayong frigate at ngayong magkakaroon ng isang barkong pangdigma na may kakayanan na magpalipad ng surface to air, mga turpido, etc ay talagang napaka-high tech po nitong barko na ito [We don't have any frigate and today we will have a high-tech warship that has the capability to launch surface-to-air, torpedoes etc," he said.
He noted that the frigate acquisition project encountered four to five month-delay, which was one of the reasons Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana got angry with the former Navy chief Ronald Joseph Mercado.
"Ngayon lang nga tayo magkakaroon ng barkong pandigma na brand new na atin, na hindi second hand na binibigay lang and both past administration and this administration support this program," he said.
"Kumbaga, matagal na nating pinagtatawanan itong mga makalumang, mga second hand na barko na dino-donate lang sa atin ," he added.