Lorenzana lost trust in sacked Navy chief

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday he ordered the sacking of Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado after he lost his trust and confidence in the former Navy chief.

Mercado was unceremoniously booted out as Navy chief the other day by Lorenzana and replaced by Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad.

Empedrad had reportedly questioned the implementation of the government’s P18-billion frigate acquisition project, including the weapons system, with South Korea’s shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

“The reason behind was, as secretary of defense, I have lost trust and confidence in his integrity and leadership,” Lorenzana told Camp Aguinaldo reporters.

Mercado’s relief came as a surprise to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

Mercado is reportedly involved in the acquisition of brand new missile-firing frigates from South Korea but he was accused of corruption for allegedly favoring a French firm.

Lorenzana said he lost his trust in Mercado’s leadership after the former Navy chief favored Thales, a European defense manufacturer, which he (Mercado) wanted to be in charge in the installation of the Combat Management System (CMS) on the two procured brand-new missile-firing frigates.

Mercado’s insistence to bring in another company for the installation of a CMS, which is not included the contract, had delayed the construction frigates.

“The contract says that it is the builder (HHI) that will be handling the CMS selection process that will satisfy our specification, and here comes Admiral Mercado who wants to bring in another company and another system,” Lorenzana said.

CMS is a system installed on a warship that handles weapons, sensors and other sea and air related combat equipment.

Considered a highly important system, CMS defines the capability of any warship, which Mercado has been pushing for the two acquired frigates for them to be at par with other modern navies around the globe in terms of combat capabilities.