Many suppliers can meet PH demand for new helis – DND chief

MANILA (PNA) – There are more than enough suppliers to provide the Philippines its requirement for combat utility helicopters (CUHs) should the country's contract with Bell Helicopter and Canadian Commercial Corp. (CCC) fall through.

"Are there other suppliers if the Canada deal will not push through? Yes, there are," Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a message Friday night.

He, however, did not mention these possible suppliers.

Lorenzana made the statement in the wake of President Rodrigo R. Duterte's order to the military to cancel the R12-billion contract for the 16 Bell 412 EPIs following reports that Canada would review the purchase of the aircraft on the grounds that they might be used in operations against rebel groups.

As of Friday night, Lorenzana said he has yet to receive any order regarding the President’s directive.

"I have not heard about cancelling. As of now, I am optimistic that it would proceed and the choppers will be delivered on time," the defense chief said.

Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deputy chief-of-staff for plans, Major Gen. Restituto Padilla, said that, from the onset, both Bell Helicopter and CCC were aware that the soon-to-be acquired 16 Bell 412 EPI choppers will be utilized as "combat utility helicopters."

"The AFP deal for the acquisition of the Canadian Bell 412 as a combat utility helicopter is a very transparent one. From the very onset, the contract has specified that we are acquiring a Combat Utility Helicopter (CUH)," Padilla added.

"Its intended use as combat utility helicopter is for the transport of troops, especially combat casualties and for troop sustainment. It is not an offensive platform and not armed as such. We have dedicated attack helicopters as offensive platforms for such operations," he said.