Philippines Officially Cancels Chopper Deal With Russia

Philippines has officially canceled a chopper agreement with Russia

Manila 10 August : The Philippines is officially rescinding the 12.7-billion-peso ($227 million) contract to purchase 16 Russian military transport helicopters, the government announced on Wednesday.
“The Department of National Defence is formally announcing the end of the contract with SOVTECHNOEXPORT LLC of Russia for the purchase of 16 units of Mi-17 heavy-lift helicopters for the Philippine air force,” dpa news agency quoted Arsenio Andolong the Department’s spokesperson as declaring.

 Philippines Officially Cancels Chopper Deal With Russia-TeluguStop.com

Andolong said that the Committee for reviewing contracts of the Department will “undertake the proper procedures and apply due diligence in formalizing the end of the contract for the project”.

“We are also working to begin a diplomatic dialogue with Russia.Russian side over issues related to the cancellation of the project,” he added in an announcement.

Former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the decision to terminate the contract was taken in the final days of the administration of the former president Rodrigo Duterte due to fears of US sanctions in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

He claimed that the decision was taken after the Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez warned that “the disadvantage that (the Philippines) will get is greater than (the advantages) when we get choppers”.

Lorenza told reporters that he was unsure whether the government would be able to recuperate the two billion peso down payment to the contractor.

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