President Ferdinand R. Marcos announced Thursday that the Philippines will not proceed with its contract to acquire 16 military heavy-lift helicopters from Russia.
Marcos made the comment after Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Marat Pavlov pushed the Philippines to respect its PHP12.7 billion agreement to acquire military helicopters, which was canceled during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte due to worries of US sanctions.
“I think it has already been determined. It was already determined by the previous administration that that deal will not carry through, will not go on,” said Marcos in an interview at the Manila Hotel.
He stated that the Philippines has previously requested a “alternative” supply of military helicopters from the United States.
The Department of National Defense (DND) inked a PHP32 billion contract with Poland-based aerospace firm PZL Mielec in February to acquire 32 Black Hawk helicopters.
It was the largest deal for military aircraft signed by the Duterte government.
“The deal as it stood maybe, at the beginning or in the middle of last year, has already been canceled and we have secured another alternative supply for those helicopters that we need,” added Marcos.
