Gazmin files libel raps vs accuser

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

DEFENSE Secretary Voltaire Gazmin has filed libel and other charges against a former country representative of the company supplying helicopters to the military who had accused him of rigging the P1.2-billion contract to purchase the 21 refurbished Huey choppers.

Gazmin filed three counts of libel against Rhodora Alvarez, who is also a Bureau of Internal Revenue employee, in the Quezon City prosecutor’s office last Friday.

Gazmin’s charges stemmed from Alvarez’s statements made in a live radio interview on May 22, 2015; a televised Senate hearing on July 7, 2015, and in an article published on Dec. 13, 2015, in the Manila Times.

Alvarez had accused Gazmin and other defense and military officials of rigging the contract to purchase the 21 Bell UH-1 helicopters in 2013.

She said the officials violated the Government Procurement Reform Act and the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

Alvarez filed a plunder complaint against Gazmin and several others in the Office of the Ombudsman last month.

In his libel complaints, Gazmin maintained that no irregularities were committed in the acquisition of the helicopters as shown by the investigation he himself ordered.

“When the news came out regarding the alleged irregularities, I ordered an investigation. The results of the investigation showed that the personnel who handled this project, in various stages, complied with the mandated procedures and no irregularities were committed,” he said.

Gazmin also charged Alvarez, and Rice Aircraft Services Inc. (Rasi) agent Thach Hoang Nguyen, with falsification and use of falsified documents.

This was for the submission of alleged fake or otherwise spurious documents in the bid of Rasi and Eagle Copters in 2013 to supply 21 UH-1 helicopters, including spare parts.

Gazmin said he stood by the defense and military officials who were just doing their duty and advancing the AFP Modernization Program.

“We know that public service entails a lot of sacrifices, even being exposed to untruthful and malicious accusations,” Gazmin said.

Alvarez’s accusations stemmed from the purchase contract entered into by the Department of National Defense with the Rasi and Eagle Copters.

The contract called for delivery of all 21 helicopters to the AFP within 180 days up to Sept. 21, 2014, but the contractor delivered only 10 choppers.

Of the 10 units, the AFP accepted only two because the others had defective engines and lacked spare parts and accessories. The DND ended up terminating the contract for failure to deliver the units on time.

During a Senate hearing, Alvarez alleged that DND officials intended to favor one of the suppliers, Rice Aircraft Services Inc., in exchange for a 7-percent commission.