Chiz to admin: Stop giving PH military hand-me-down assets

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government should stop buying hand-me-down assets to equip the Philippine military, said Senator Francisco Escudero who made the call as Congress begins deliberations on the 2016 government budget.

“If we are going to pour in billions of pesos to improve the AFP, we might as well give our soldiers the best modern and sophisticated equipment we can get,” Escudero said.

Escudero is one of the senators probing the controversial procurement of refurbished UH-1 choppers that cost the government P1.2 billion. (READ: Engine defects in newly delivered Air Force choppers exposed)

The Department of National Defense (DND) is in charge of the procurement of defense assets although representatives of the end users – army, navy or air force – are involved throughout the bidding processes.

Escudero said the Senate probe has “exposed infirmities in the AFP procurement process,” which he said is “supplier-driven.”

DND clears officials 

DND was accused of fitting the deal to make sure its favored bidder wins the project.

But DND’s own investigation dismissed allegations made by an agent-turned-whistleblower against the deal, arguing that she was unable to substantiate allegations that are “based on hearsay.”

Escudero recognized that the Philippines needs to “boost the country’s defense capabilities amid concerns over China’s continuous military buildup in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).”

What is important, he said, is the government should purchase “brand new” but “reasonably priced” assets.

Malacañang’s P3-trillion proposed budget allocates P172 billion for the Department of National Defense (DND), ranking 3rd among the departments with the biggest budgets. It is P27.5 billion higher than DND’s budget of P144.5 billion for the current year.

This allocation is on top of P75 billion allocated by President Benigno Aquino III for the first 5 years of implementation of the 15-year Revised AFP Modernization Act of 2012.  

“Huwag naman tayong bumili ng sobrang luma na at kakarag-karag na mga sasakyan at depektibong kagamitan na hindi na mapakikinabangan ng ating kasundaluhan. Huwag naman po nating ipahamak ang ating mga sundalo,” Escudero said.

(We should discard the old practice of acquiring military equipment and vehicles that are too old and defective, and no longer useful to our armed forces. Let us not put the lives of our hardworking soldiers in danger.)

He added: “The least the government can do is to make sure that we provide our military forces with better and serviceable aircraft, naval ships and other equipment.” – Rappler.com