CHOPPERS NOT JETS | Citing Central Visayas quake, Biazon tells DND to get priorities right

From InterAksyon (Oct 24): CHOPPERS NOT JETS | Citing Central Visayas quake, Biazon tells DND to get priorities right

A former chief of staff of the Armed Forces, citing difficulties getting badly needed relief to victims of the Central Visayas earthquake, urged the defense establishment to get its priorities right and purchase helicopters instead of fighter jets.

“Bakit hanggang ngayon meron pang issue na may mga villages na hindi napupuntahan (Why is still there the issue of villages that have not been reached?)?

Whether this claim is true or not, this is an issue being raised. Kung may pitong helicopters du’n, e bakit hanggang ngayon issue pa rin itong hindi (dumarating ang mga relief goods sa) mga lugar (If we have seven helicopters there, why is it still an issue that relief goods are not reaching those places)?”

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rodolfo Biazon asked at a news briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Wednesday, where he presided over a conference between officials of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Disaster and Relief.

“What I’m saying is buy helicopters, make it a priority,” Biazon said.

“I have issued this as chairman of the (House) defense committee; I have issued this statement to the Secretary of National Defense (Voltaire Gazmin). If you remember, I’ve emphasized that instead of buying fighter jets we should buy first helicopters that we can use for counterinsurgency because you cannot use a jet fighter for counterinsurgency … We need more helicopters to address the question of internal security and disaster response,” Biazon said.

On his recent state visit to South Korea, President Benigno Aquino III clinched a deal to purchase 12 FA-50 fighter jets for P18.9 billion.

However, Biazon said: “Instead of the fighter jets, I am looking at increasing the number of C130 (transport aircraft) and then transport ships that can move troops, that can move equipment for economic activities.”

“‘Yang fighter jets, hindi ko sinasabing huwag tayong bumili. Ang sinasabi ko, uunahin muna natin dapat na bilhin ang helicopters, C130, transport ship (I’m not saying we shouldn’t buy the fighter jets. What I am saying, let us first buy helicopters, C130s and transport ships),” he added.

Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Batac explained to Biazon that, “the helicopters that we plan to procure have been stalled for more than one year. There were some hitches in the procurement process and thus the delay. But we are trying to correct this so that we can acquire these helicopters as soon as possible.”

The DND has yet to adequately explain why it has not entered into government-to-government procurement after three failed biddings for the long-delayed acquisition of 21 refurbished Huey helicopters for the Philippine Air Force.

The Procurement Law allows “G to G” deals after at least two failed biddings.
But a reliable source said the bids and awards committee of the DND has set a fourth bidding for the choppers, with the opening of proposals scheduled for November 4.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/73373/choppers-not-jets--citing-central-visayas-quake-biazon-tells-dnd-to-get-priorities-right