Push Admin

Article (news)

DND: Russian chopper deal up for review

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Paratroopers of the Hungarian Army’s 24th Gergely Bornemissza Scout Regiment prepare for a take-off aboard a Mi-17 helicopter during their drill at the airport of Hajduszoboszlo, Hungary, 11 May 2022 (issued 12 May 2022). The paratroopers made their jumps from heights between 500 and 3,000 meters as a tribute to late Staff Sergeant Szabolcs Gal, a member of the Hungarian Armed Forces world champion parachute team, of the 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base. EPA-EFE/Zsolt Czegledi " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/07/14/hungarian-epa-7142022.jpg"/><figcaption>Paratroopers of the Hungarian Army’s 24th Gergely Bornemissza Scout Regiment prepare for a take-off aboard a Mi-17 helicopter during their drill at the airport of Hajduszoboszlo, Hungary, 11 May 2022 (issued 12 May 2022). The paratroopers made their jumps from heights between 500 and 3,000 meters as a tribute to late Staff Sergeant Szabolcs Gal, a member of the Hungarian Armed Forces world champion parachute team, of the 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base. <em>EPA-EFE/Zsolt Czegledi </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of National Defense will review all of its ongoing projects, including the purchase of military helicopters from Russia worth P12.7 billion, its spokesperson said Thursday.</p><p>This comes as Defense Secretary Jose Faustino <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/01/22/faustino-takes-over-top-dnd-post">took over the helm of the agency</a> this month, DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yang [Mil] Mi-17, along with other procurement projects na inabot ng Marcos administration will be subject to review,&quot; he said. &quot;So, naka-status quo siya ngayon. Termination wala pa naman akong nababalitaan.&quot;</p><p>In March, Faustino&#x27;s predecessor and now <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/07/22/lorenzana-is-new-bcda-chief">Bases Conversion and Development Authority chief</a> Delfin Lorenzana said the contract for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters from Russia was signed in November.</p><p>A downpayment of an undisclosed amount has also been made in January.</p><p>Andolong described as &quot;customary&quot; the planned review of the agency&#x27;s ongoing projects, especially big-ticket items, under the new administration.</p><p>&quot;Kasi siyempre he (Faustino) has to be aware kung ano &#x27;yung mga projects na inabot niya kasi may budgetary considerations &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>The new DND chief, he added, also has the option to cancel or terminate contracts if they were found disadvantageous to the government.</p><p>Andolong said the planned review of contracts is &quot;not borne out of any suspicion&quot;.</p><p>Russia invaded Ukraine in February, displacing millions of people and triggering a humanitarian crisis.</p><p>Kyiv said it would take at least $750 billion to rebuild after the widespread destruction inflicted by Russian forces.</p><p>The Philippines earlier voted in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution that demanded for Russia to stop its attack on Ukraine.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/28/22/ph-explicitly-condemns-invasion-of-ukraine">PH condemns &#x27;invasion of Ukraine&#x27;, backs UN General Assembly resolution</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2123349" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Department of National Defense will review its ongoing projects, including the purchase of military helicopters from Russia worth P12.7 billion.