Stop passing buck on Navy frigate contract – De Lima

Sen. Leila de Lima called on the Duterte administration to stop using its predecessor as a scapegoat whenever anomalies come up, including the controversial P16-billion frigate contract for the Philippine Navy.

De Lima, who served as justice secretary during the Aquino administration, pointed out that it was the current administration that awarded and signed the contract for the acquisition of the frigates and not its predecessor.

“As I have said before: every time the Duterte government gets involved in dubious deals, the President and his cohorts always divert the issue instead of addressing it head-on – either Duterte and his lackeys will blame the past administration or they will invent another outrageous lie to change the headlines,” De Lima said in a statement yesterday.

De Lima noted the notice of award for the contract was done in August 2016 and the contract signed in October 2016, so clearly the deal was consummated under the current administration.

The frigate deal has led to the firing of then Navy flag officer-in-command Vice Admiral Joseph Mercado and the implication of Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go as an alleged middleman.

Go has denied his alleged intervention in the selection of the weapons system supplier.

De Lima recalled how presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. came to Go’s defense, claiming that the South Korean bidder for the Navy’s acquisition of two frigates was selected during the Aquino administration.

Roque likewise claimed the present administration’s role in the procurement was merely ministerial, making it impossible for Go to interfere in the acquisition.