By Francis T. Wakefield
Former Flag-Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado yesterday expressed hope that the P18-billion Frigate Acquisition Program of the Philippine Navy would be a success despite the controversies surrounding the project.
Mercado, in a chance interview in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, explained that he, including officers, sailors, and Marines, wants the project to push through and succeed as part of efforts to modernize the 24,000-strong Navy.
“Well sa amin lang naman is I like that frigate because everyone in the Navy wants that frigate kasi it’s a combat ship. Anong mangyayari sa Navy natin kung walang punch di ba?” Mercado said.
“You cannot have only transport ship, we should have a punch. The frigate is the, it’s a capital ship and this is the first in the history of the Navy that we will have a frigate newly constructed then missile capable, air surface, undersea,” he added.
Mercado said he won’t recommend scrapping the contract and wants the project to be fulfilled following the provisions of the contract.
“I do not want something like what happened to the helicopter controversy several years ago. You know everything will be subjected to audit later on. Kawawa naman yung mga bata who affixed their signature, tapos sinabing bakit ganun?”
he said.
The program became controversial when Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go allegedly interfered with the PN’s decision to choose the type of weapons system for the frigates.
Go has denied the accusation which claims that he wanted Hanwha Thales of South Korea to provide the combat management systems of the frigates over another brand.
