Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has filed a new complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, and ten others for plunder over the Frigate Acquisition "scam" on Wednesday, August 7.
"Ngayong araw na ito, ako po ay nagfile ng ikalawang plunder case laban kina (D)uterte, Bong Go at mga dating opisyal ng DND (Department of National Defense)/Philippine Navy (PN), ukol sa maanolmalyang Php16 bilyon na Frigate acquisition project (FAP) ng Philippine Navy," Trillanes, a retired Philippine naval officer, declared in a Facebook post.
("On this day, I filed a second plunder case against Duterte, Bong Go, and former officials of the DND and Philippine Navy, concerning the anomalous Frigate Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy,")
Former DND Undersecretary Raymundo Elefante, former PN Chief Admiral Robert Empedrad, former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, and seven private persons were also named respondents in the complaint.
These respondents allegedly breached Section 2 of The Act Defining and Penalizing the Crime of Plunder and The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The Frigate Acquisition Project
The FAP, from which the complaint derives, was launched during Administration of the Late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III in 2013 and awarded to South Korean shipbuilding company Hyundai Heavy Industries or HHI. The contract was signed by HHI and the DND about three months into Duterte's term.
However, HHI and the PN did not see eye to eye on the Combat Management System (CMS) to install in the frigates or warships.
The CMS is considered "the brain of a naval combat vessel." Using a single system, one is given access to and control over all sensors and weapons systems, ensuring swift and precise responses in combat or during security operations.
HHI insisted on installing a CMS made by Hanwha Systems, a supplier also based in South Korea.
"The final selection of (CMS) maker to be Ship Builder's sole right as long as the equipment/system shall fulfill the owner's requirements in building specification and other design and build aspects," reads a document from the HHI.
Nonetheless, the Navy was firm in its preference for Tacticos by The Netherland's Thales. Navy Chief Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado was consequently dismissed, which was met with controversy.
The choice of HHI over Indian rival Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, with a bid of P700 million less, was disputed. HHI was also denounced for sticking "disadvantageous" conditions in the contract.
The involvement of Go, then the Special Assistant to the Preisdent, in choosing the CMS maker was also raised.
In a video, Trillanes claimed that Hanwha CMS was then a new product which was yet to be tested by other navies, and that its installation would reduce the project cost by over P1 billion. Tacticos on the other hand, was not only a proven brand, but also compliant to contract stipulations.
"Lilinawin ko lang, magandang proyekto itong Frigate Acquisition Project na na-initiate ng Aquino administration," the former senator said. "Ang mga frigate na ito ang magiging pinaka-moderno at pinaka-powerful na barko ng ating Navy. Kahit papaano, maaari itong magamit sa pagbantay sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) at sa pagdepensa ng ating teritoryo."
("I will make this clear, the Frigate Acquisition Project of the Aquino administration initiated is a good one. The frigates will be the Navy's most modern and most powerful vessels. In some ways, these may be used to guard the West Philippine Sea and in defending our territory.")
"Pero kung hindi sana ito pinakialaman nina Duterte at Bong Go, 'di hamak na mas naging primera klase pa ang mga barkong ito," he added.
("But if Duterte and Bong Go did not interfere, these would have been made into first class vessels.")
