MANILA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines is shopping around for new sources of helicopters after the Philippine president ordered a cancellation of a multimillion-dollar deal to buy 16 helicopters from Canada, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday.
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered last Friday the scrapping of a 233 million-U.S. dollar helicopter deal after the Canadian government decided to review the deal due to concerns the Philippine armed forces might use the utility helicopters in counter-insurgency operations.
The Philippines has repeatedly assured Canada that the Bell 412 EPI helicopters would be used to ferry supplies and troops during disaster operations, not to attack rebels.
Nevertheless, Lorenzana said the Philippine Department of National Defense is now drafting a formal letter informing Canada about the decision of the Philippine government to cancel the contract. "I will sign it this week," he told reporters on Monday.
Meanwhile, Lorenzana said his department is looking at other countries to source helicopters, including China, Russia, South Korea and Turkey.
"We are looking at (South) Korea, Russia, China and Turkey and other countries for the medium-lift helicopters in lieu of the Bell 412," Lorenzana said.
The Philippines also bought eight Bell helicopters from Bell Helicopter in 2014.
"This is just a repeat order. Why do they (Canada) raise that issue now?" asked Lorenzana, adding that the 16 Bell helicopters the Philippine military is buying are not attack helicopters "but a medium lift."
