Bong Go a scapegoat in the frigate scandal

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BY HERBERT VEGO
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Thursday, February 22, 2018
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IT MUST have been a diversionary ploy that Malacañang prodded Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go to “star” in the Senate hearing aimed at probing his alleged intervention in the P15.5-billion acquisition of two frigates for the Philippine Navy (PN), specifically vis-à-vis its choice of the Korean firm Hanwha as the supplier of the combat management system (CMS) to be installed by frigate builder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Why make a fuss out of Bong Go when the only role he played was that of “carrier” of a “white paper” about Hanwha (dated Jan. 12, 2017) from Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana to Vice Admiral Ronald Mercado, who was then Philippine Navy’s Flag Officer in Command? An attached note purportedly written by Lorenzana instructed, “Ronald, this was given to me by Bong Go. Go over it and make a report/rebuttal to be submitted to the President.”

Bong Go being an incidental figure because of his literal closeness to President Rodrigo Duterte, he really played no major role in the controversy that must have provoked Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana to fire Mercado on Dec. 19, 2017. He was eventually replaced by Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad.

As the then head of the Philippine Navy, Mercado had opposed Lorenzana’s choice of the South Korean firm Hanwha as manufacturer of the CMS –  a computer and software system that serves as “the brain of a naval combat vessel” – to be installed in the frigates.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV presented during the Senate hearing documents showing that Mercado had “defied” and “usurped” Lorenzana’s authority. Lorenzana himself had accused Mercado of “blocking the project left and right and making up some excuses.”

The conflict between the superior and the subordinate arose from the latter’s choice of Netherlands’ firm Thales Tacticos to install its CMS in the two frigates against the former’s preference for Hanwha on the pretext that it was also the choice of frigate builder Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Mercado insisted on Thales’ Tacticos as the better CMS, citing its “tested patronage” by 23 navies of as many countries. Hanwha has only the governments of South Korea and Malaysia as current customers.

Tacticos is compatible with the acquired frigates’ Link 16, whereas Hanwha’s TDL 16 is still being developed, thus, unproven. “Link 16” refers to a modern military tactical data exchange network that integrates the frigate’s systems, including its weapons, sensors, communication and navigation, among others.

In a letter dated Jan. 4, 2017, Mercado tried to convince Lorenzana that Hanwha would be “grossly disadvantageous to the Philippine Navy” and that the PN as the frigates’ chief owner had the option to select its preferred CMS model, Tacticos.

But Lorenzana insisted that Thales’ Tacticos and the cheaper Hanwha CMS are “comparable” and compliant with the needs of the PN.

During the Senate hearing, when questioned by Sen. Ralph Recto, Lorenzana acknowledged Thales as the best in the market, but choosing Tacticos over Hanwha would mean a savings of around P350 million. He made no justification why he preferred the cheaper to the best.

Mercado, on the other hand, reiterated that Hanwha does not fulfill the PN’s requirement of Link 16 capability based on the contract but ran short of linking the issue to his premature dismissal from the highest PN post.

He just might have opted to willingly accept his few weeks of “floating status” while looking forward to a rewarding retirement in March.

Alas, all that the Senate inquiry achieved was disprove the participation of Bong Go in that deal where money must have changed hands unseen under the table.  As to whose hands, let your guess be as good as mine. (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
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