Sacked Navy chief Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado clears Bong Go

MANILA, Philippines — Sacked Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado broke his silence yesterday since his ouster, but only to clear Christopher “Bong” Go, special assistant to President Duterte and chief of the Presidential Management Staff, of any accountability in a multibillion-peso defense frigate acquisition project of the Navy.

Mercado, in a telephone interview with defense reporters, said since he heard reports mentioning his name he came forward to belie insinuations that the President’s aide intervened in the acquisition of two brand-new frigates from South Korea.

“When I was FOIC, (Go) never once, with so many times we were together in various engagements… that he even asked me about the frigates. He never intervened, much more talk to me, about these things. Not once, that I’m very, very sure,” the ex-Navy chief said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, upon the approval of President Duterte, sacked Mercado last Dec. 18 for insubordination, for standing in the way of the procurement of two brand new frigates from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Mercado claimed he had no personal knowledge of anyone intervening from the Department of National Defense (DND), adding that communication was made on official basis.

 Mercado was referring to the alleged exchange between the DND and the Navy on what type of combat management system (CMS) should be installed on two frigates being acquired by the defense department from HHI.

While Mercado admitted that his sudden relief hurt him, he said he followed orders as a good soldier.

Mercado was accused by Lorenzana of favoring Thales Tacticos, a European defense contractor and supplier, to fit CMS on the brand-new frigates in lieu of Korea’s Hanwha, which in turn was allegedly preferred by people in the defense department.

Lorenzana ordered the sacking of Mercado for reportedly delaying the frigate acquisition, an action that reportedly caused widespread demoralization in the Navy.

Mercado’s unexpected coming out yesterday defending Go, however, was seen as highly suspect, as past efforts to reach him proved futile.

For his part, Go offered to resign from his post once there is evidence to prove allegations that he intervened in the P15.7-billion procurement of the Navy’s weapons system for its warships.

Go also cried foul over reports that he endorsed a South Korean company to be the supplier of the CMS of the Navy’s frigate program.

“My name has been unfairly dragged in this issue. I am not privy to the frigate transaction of the DND,” he said.

“I have never seen the controversial document… that is alleged to have come from me, much less handed the same to SND Lorenzana,” he said.

Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said the document was later traced to have originated from Hanwha, not from Go.

A day after the President challenged news media outfits to show proof of Go’s alleged intervention, Go said he will not stay a minute longer in the Duterte administration and resign once proven that he exerted pressure on any government agency or official to favor one supplier at the Navy.

“In fact, I will resign if it can be proven that I intervened. It should be emphasized that the frigate project was already a done deal in 2016 during the time of former president Aquino,” he said.

Last Tuesday, Duterte vowed to fire Go if the allegations that his aide intervened in the Navy acquisition are proven true.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque also defended Go yesterday, pointing out that the acquisition or decision memorandum for these frigates actually was entered into before Duterte assumed office.

There is no way that Go could have intervened since the negotiations for the contract started when the memorandum was entered as early a June 7, 2013, Roque said.

“All that (Secretary Lorenzana) did on Aug. 18, 2016 was to issue the notice of award. What does this mean? Well if a contract has been given or awarded that means it is futile to intervene,” he said.

Outlining the chronology of events and the provisions of the procurement law, Roque belied the report of Rappler that Go intervened in connection with the acquisition and procurement of the frigates. – With Christina Mendez