Lorenzana: Frigate project cancellation unlikely

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 23): Lorenzana: Frigate project cancellation unlikely

Despite allegations hounding the Navy's Frigate Acquisition Program (FAP), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that it is very unlikely that the project would be cancelled.

'With all the facts we know about the frigate (project)? No," he said in a message.

Earlier, the DND announced that it is welcoming any investigation on its PHP18 billion FAP, noting that it has nothing to hide regarding the matter.

DND public affairs office chief Arsenio Andolong made the statement in response to plans of the Senate minority bloc to conduct an investigation on the FAP.

"The DND welcomes the plan of the Senate to conduct an investigation on the Frigate Acquisition Project. In fact, we have long been waiting for the opportunity to shed light on this issue so that the truth will finally be known," he added.

The FAP is one of the key pieces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program as it seeks to provide the country with the capability to deal with air, surface and sub-surface threats.

It will be armed with a variety of missiles and guns capable of defeating such threats.

Earlier, Magdalo partylist Rep. Gary Alejano claimed that the FAP project is riddled with anomalies and that its design was altered from the original.

According to the lawmaker, one of the anomalies surrounding the project is the alleged preference for the Hanwha CMS.

"There is a proper process prescribed in RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) concerning the termination of a procurement project and there are specific conditions that must be present in order to invoke it, none of which are existing at the moment in this project," Andolong added.

Also, the DND spokesperson said these claims are mere allegations and innuendos which hardly constitute grounds for termination of the project.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1022524