Gazmin favored supplier in questioned chopper deal —whistleblower

A whistleblower in the case of the allegedly anomalous P1.2 billion chopper deal on Tuesday accused Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin of favoring the supplier when he signed and approved the amended on the contract agreement even after it was awarded.

Rhodora Alvarez, a Bureau of Internal Revenue employee, said Gazmin cannot deny knowledge of the amendments in the contract sought by the joint venture of Rice Aircraft Services Inc (RASI) and Eagle Copters because he signed it.

“Kitang kita na may violation of Republic Act 9184 (Procurement Law). Kitang kita na pinaboran si Mr (Robert) Rice, kitang-kita rin sa mga amendments of contracts na inaprubahan yan ni Secretary Voltaire Gazmin,” Alvarez said.

“Our law provides that (amendment) has to be done during the pre-bid conference hindi after the awarding of contract. Diyan pa lang kitang kita na na may violation.  Sino ba ang pumirma ng amendment of contract, it was recommended of course by the CTRC at approved by SND, Secretary Voltaire Gazmin so wag niyang sasabihing hindi niya alam ito,” she added.

CTRC is the Contract Termination and Review Committee of the Department of National Defense.

Alvarez, in her affidavit submitted to the committee, said there is a seven-percent commission to be given to Gazmin and a five-percent kickback for other officials.

Gazmin denied this in a letter submitted to the committee.

The whistleblower earlier said the controversial procurement of the 21 helicopters by the DND was “tailor-fitted” to favor the joint venture of Rice Aircraft Services, Inc (RASI) and Eagle Copters, Ltd.

The amendments introduced were the exclusion of a pre-delivery inspection and the technical specification of power train. These were made upon the request of supplier RASI.

“Ang batas ay batas at hindi pwedeng paglaruan at kapag may gumawa niyan, dapat ay parusahan,” Alvarez said during the resumption of the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the chopper deal.

She said the amendments to the contract were made to justify the acceptance of the helicopters, “all of which are disadvantageous to the government.”

The DND has yet to comment on the matter as Gazmin was not present during the hearing. The hearing was also cut short to give way to the hearing of the Blue Ribbon subcommittee on alleged Makati anomalies.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, said he will invite Gazmin to answer the allegations.

“We will be calling him. It’s true that he signed the amendments and we will be calling him to shed light on the matter,” he told reporters after the hearing.

He also asked the other military officials to submit an affidavit to counter the statement of Alvarez.

“In the next hearing, I would like to hear from the Air Force, from the DND. You have been sitting here in the past several hearings. I’m sure you would like to present your side.  It would be better if you will submit an affidavit,” the senator said. —NB, GMA News