The Philippine Navy's former Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) wants the 18 billion pesos Frigate Acquisition Program to push through despite being relieved from his post because of issues about the project.

“I like that frigate... Everyone in the Navy wants that frigate because it’s a combat ship. What will happen to our Navy if there is no punch. You cannot have only a transport ship.... The frigate is... a capital ship, and this is the first in the history of the Navy that we will have a frigate newly constructed and missile capable, air, surface, undersea,” Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo Monday.

“I really want the project to be fulfilled following the provisions of the contract. It’s not good for the personnel who affixed their signatures,” he added.

Mercado was replaced by Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad after he was relieved from his post last month as he was accused of pushing for a particular brand of combat management system (CMS) for the frigates.

He emphasized that he is standing for the original position of the Philippine Navy on the matter.

“It’s actually just one of the many issues. To be honest it’s not me. It’s the project management team which is raising the issues, and of course because I am the Navy chief (so I have to raise issues),” said Mercado.

“I just focus, whenever I deal with general headquarters and Department of National Defense about the frigate. The issues that are raised by the project management team, I endorse it, of course. I’m the Navy chief, and my instruction to them when I became the FOIC is ensure the provisions in the contract, particularly the technical specifications are followed. I headed it, the crafting of the technical specifications, so it’s something that is close to my heart. We have to follow it,” he added.

It can be recalled Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano claimed that the newly appointed FOIC supported the move of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to replace the “frigate project subsystems” and “orders (Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee) TIAC to accept the changes that HHI wanted to implement in the frigate's design and dimension to cut costs.

Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Secretary Bong Go was accused of meddling in the frigate acquisition project but these were denied by Mercado and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Robina Asido/DMS