After three years and Estrada’s fall, US sending 3 choppers

Good things like military helicopters come to those who wait.

Three military helicopters that former President Joseph Estrada secured from the United States in June 2000 will finally be delivered to the Armed Forces on July 15.

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said yesterday the delivery of the three Hueys would fulfill the commitment of former US President Bill Clinton to hand over eight helicopters to the Philippines.

Interviewed in the program "Mr. Exposé" of former ambassador Ernesto Maceda over radio station dwIZ, Reyes said the US has already delivered five of the eight Huey helicopters to the Armed Forces.

"Out of the eight choppers, only five were so far delivered," he said. "The three will be delivered by July 15."

As ambassador to Washington during the Estrada administration, Maceda worked out the US military assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines when Estrada visited the US and met with Clinton in June 2000.

However, Reyes told Maceda the 30 military helicopters that US President George W. Bush promised President Arroyo during her recent state visit would "take a while" before being delivered because of the "long process" within the US government.

"Perhaps, we can expect them to be delivered by the same length of time because their (US) process is long also," he said.

Reyes said the 30 Huey helicopters are being given to the Philippines upon "the initiative" of the US government and that the Armed Forces had not asked for them.

"It came from the US side," he said.

Meanwhile, Reyes said the $47 million to be spent for the next Balikatan 03-1 in Sulu is "really not hard aid" to the Armed Forces from the US government.

"They were just reasonable estimates, for example the $47 million would be drawn for 2003 up to 2004," he said.

The US also allotted $47 million for the use of US troops who took part in Balikatan 02-1 in Basilan last year, he added.

On the other hand, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said on the same radio program the $47 million would be spent not only for military operations but also for the civic-humanitarian component of Balikatan.

"All we can say about the Balikatan is this amount will be used largely for the civic-humanitarian operations like they did in Balikatan 02-1, where they built roads, school buildings and other development projects," he said. — Marichu Villanueva