Gazmin files libel raps over AFP helicopters

MANILA, Philippines – Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has filed three counts of libel against an employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) who had accused him and other defense and military officials of graft.

Gazmin filed charges against Rhodora Alvarez, the BIR employee who claimed the defense chief and other defense and military officials rigged the bidding for the purchase of helicopters from a US dealer in 2013.

Alvarez made the statements at an interview with ABS-CBN on May 22, before a televised Senate investigation on the issue on July 7, and a news article in December last year.

Aside from Alvarez, Gazmin also filed a case against Thach Hoang Nguyen, the agent of Rice Aircraft Service Inc. (RASI), for falsification of documents in connection with the bid submission for the contract of the UH-1H helicopters.

Alvarez testified last year in a Senate investigation on alleged irregularities surrounding a P1.2-billion contract for the supply of 21 “Huey” helicopters.

She accused Gazmin and the military officials of violating the Government Procurement Reform Act and the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

Alvarez filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, asking it to further investigate Gazmin and the other respondents for the administrative offense of gross dishonesty.

 “When the news came out regarding the alleged irregularities, as head of agency, I ordered an investigation. The result of the investigation showed that the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) personnel who handled this project, in various stages, complied with the mandated procedures and no irregularities were committed,” Gazmin said.

Gazmin vouched for the defense and military officials whom Alvarez claimed to have conspired with in rigging the bidding.

“We know that public service entails a lot of sacrifices, even being exposed to untruthful and malicious accusations,” Gazmin said.