Ex-cops in Congress seek probe on ‘anomalous’ P1.2-B AFP chopper deal

Three lawmakers who are former police officials have asked Congress to look into the alleged anomalies surrounding the procurement of 21 obsolete UH-1D helicopters for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In House Resolution 1995, Reps. Samuel Pagdilao of ACT-CIS party-list, Leopoldo Bataoil of Pangasinan, and Romeo Acop of Antipolo City urged the House committee on national defense and security and the oversight committee on AFP modernization to conduct an inquiry into the P1.2-billion chopper deal with the joint venture of Rice Aircraft Service Inc. and Eagle Copters, Ltd.

The lawmakers’ call for an investigation of the helicopter purchase was prompted by the AFP’s apparent lack of helicopters for the rescue and retrieval of the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos pinned in a gunfight with Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

They questioned the lack of modern choppers for the armed forces since the Department of National Defense entered into a P1.21-billion contract with the JV of Rice Aircraft Services and Eagle Copters in 2013 for 21 UH-1D or Huey helicopters, including spare parts.

Under the contract, the JV must deliver all 21 choppers to the AFP within 180 days until Sept. 21, 2014.

Done in bad faith

But on the deadline, it was discovered that the contractor only delivered 10 choppers. Of these, only two were accepted by the AFP because the others were found to have defective engines and insufficient spare parts and accessories.

“The failure of AFP military helicopters to respond to critical situations like the Mamasapano incident, the failure of the JV to complete the delivery of the 21 UH-1 helicopters and its [spare parts] within 180 days and the wretched state of helicopters delivered to the AFP by the Rice Aircraft Services Inc. should warrant the conduct of in-depth investigation especially in light of some reports that the delivery of the helicopters were done in bad faith and that the JV have defraud[ed] the government in this transaction,” the lawmakers said.

Pagdilao and Bataoil are former police directors while Acop is a former comptroller of the Philippine National Police.

Misrepresentation

According to some news reports, Rice Aircraft Service Inc. deliberately falsified the bid documents and forged the signature of Philippine Air Force officers in order to qualify for the transaction.

In addition, the JV allegedly misrepresented itself during the negotiation by claiming to have the facility and capability to deliver the choppers within 180 days and delivered an obsolete UH-1D model in lieu of the UH-1H, which had been designed for safety during combat operations.

“Instead of terminating the project, the DND allowed the supplier to continue with the delivery of the helicopters despite its vilations and conspicuous disadvantages, which are inimical to the modernization of the AFP,” the lawmakers said.

A congressional investigation, they believe, will help establish a clear-cut policy barring fraudulent bidders and their conspirators from engaging in contracts for the modernization of the AFP. —KBK, GMA News