Canadian defense contractor laments cancellation of P12-billion helicopter deal

MANILA, Philippines — A Canadian firm has lamented the termination of the P12-billion helicopter deal with the Philippine government, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed yesterday.

Angered over the Canadian government’s decision to review the sale of 16 combat utility helicopters by Canadian Commercial Corp. (CCC) to the Philippines over fears of human rights abuses, President Duterte ordered the rescinding of the deal.

The President also ordered the defense department to no longer procure defense equipment not only from Canada but also from the United States for attaching conditions to their deals with the Philippines.

“The (Canadian firm) is dismayed,” Lorenzana said, adding that with the termination of the deal the defense department is now free to scout for other possible sources of these combat utility helicopters needed by the Philippine Air Force.

In last year’s anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Duterte declared the delivery of 23 combat utility helicopters in the first quarter of this year.

However, with the cancellation of the helicopter deal with Canada, it will take the defense department some time to procure these air assets.

Lorenzana said that they are now looking at China, Russia or AirBus – a European defense contractor – and other defense suppliers, as possible source of these combat utility helicopters.

“The project has been cancelled and the CCC received the notification regarding the cancellation. We will reboot the procurement (of these combat utility helicopters) and we are currently studying other possible sources of the units,” defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said.

Aside from the combat utility helicopters, the defense department is also eyeing to buy fast attack boats and unmanned aerial vehicles from China and sniper rifles from Russia. 

Military officials, however, said that while Chinese and Russian defense equipment are also reliable, it will take some time before they become fully operational in the military.