Friendly countries putting on hold assistance talks with AFP

MANILA, Philippines - Friendly countries that have reportedly signified their willingness to help the Philippines modernize its military are having second thoughts on continuing negotiations with outgoing defense secretary Norberto Gonzales.

This was bared yesterday by a source from the diplomatic community who said that the government-to-government defense and military contracts being pushed by Gonzales are now at a standstill.

“These countries have adopted a wait-and-see attitude,” the source who asked not be named said.

He said the reason for this is that any defense acquisition through government-to-government contract entered into by the outgoing administration could still be subject to review by the incoming administration, which is causing worries among the friendly states as well as defense and military manufacturers.

While these contracts are binding, the new administration can always resort to non-payment of the contract that would lead to its termination.

Gonzales earlier said that before he retires the defense establishment will fast track the procurement of military hardware, including the acquisition of two MVRs (multi-role vessels) in the amount of P10 billion.

He said he hoped this move would not be interpreted as midnight purchases because it is in the best interest of the country to procure needed military hardware via a government-to-government deal to minimize corruption.

He said these MVRs could either be acquired from South Korea or Singapore.

The acquisition of these two vessels at a cost of P5 billion each will be sourced from the AFP’s modernization budget for 2009 and 2010, he said.

“We are fast-tracking these acquisition and we expect delivery in two years after we have placed our orders,” Gonzales earlier said.

The STAR also learned that through Gonzales’ government-to-government contract, the Defense Department was able to strike a P3-billion deal with Israel for the acquisition of more than a dozen reconditioned Cobra attack helicopters for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

“The Air Force have already their own list,” Gonzales said when he presided over the command turn-over of the Philippine Navy from retired Vice Admiral Ferdinand Golez to Rear Admiral Danilo Cortez as acting Navy Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) earlier this month.