CDC says Lockheed Martin indeed squatting at Clark

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — American defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp. has been occupying an Air Force hangar in the Clark Special Economic Zone without the permission of Clark Development Corp. (CDC).

"Lockheed is there without our consent," Edwin Angeles, CDC president and chief executive officer, told The STAR yesterday.

In a report to Angeles, CDC executive vice president Victor Jose Luciano said Lockheed and Asian Aerospace Corp. are using hangars Nos. 7661 and 7231, but that only 7231 is covered by a memorandum of agreement between CDC and AAC.

Luciano said the agreement was signed when President Arroyo visited the site last April 5 as part of her birthday inspection tour of Clark Field.

"That visit of President Arroyo to the site was not originally in her itinerary," he said. "It seems the visit was squeezed in to as a strategy to convince her to accept the deal."

Luciano said AAC has not yet submitted a development and financial plan for the approval of the CDC board of directors and the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) in accordance with the memorandum of agreement.

"To date, there has not been any lease agreement for the aircraft service center that was drafted," he said. "And no contract for this project has been signed."

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes has reportedly signed a deal with Lockheed allowing it to use a four-hectare area in Clark as a "counter-trade" for the sale of four C-130K cargo planes and two $41 million sensor equipment without any public bidding.

In an official statement yesterday, Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Defensor said there was nothing irregular about the reported deal with Lockheed.

"Everything was done in order and the transactions were transparent," read the statement. "There were no hidden deals."

Defensor said the Air Force intends to buy the four C-130K aircraft to guard the country’s air space and for maritime patrols, and to protect its waters from exploitation.

"These aircraft will be the answer to the Air Force’s long-time need for an interim Long-Range Patrol Aircraft, particularly during this time when illegal activities are rampant on RP’s land and sea borders," read the statement. "The PAF’s OV-10s and S-211s are ineffective for martime patrols."

Defensor said two aircraft will be fitted with search radars, which can be used for high altitude surveillance to detect the presence of suspicious targets.

"These newer version of C-130s can operate at night and bad weather while performing a surveillance mission over bodies of water and penetrate clouds or over land," read the statement.

"A Forward Looking Infrared Radar will also be installed to permit a low-altitude flight to get a closer scrutiny of the target to determine its identity."

Defensor said the C-130s can also be used to transport troops and goods to different parts of the country in support of the government’s commitment to deliver basic services to the people.

"It will also be used in evacuation of military and civilian patients from far-flung areas of the archipelago," read the statement.

Defensor said the Lockheed repair facility at Clark Field will boost the country’s economy in terms of additional employment for aircraft technicians and other workers.

"It will also generate revenues for the government from labor, taxes, rents and its expenses," read the statement. "It will greatly reduce the cost of major PAF repair programs since PAF will contribute its personnel to share the workload as well as avail itself of training opportunities offered by the facility."

Defensor said Clark was chosen as the repair facility’s site because the industrial-type units of the Air Force’s 410th Maintenance Wing and 420th Supply Wing are located in the area. – Ding Cervantes