BY VICTOR REYES

DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has approved the recommendation of a fact-finding body to refer to the Ombudsman further investigation of at least four officials involved in the irregular bidding of P1.2 billion worth of night-capable attack helicopters.

Teodoro did not name the officials but a source said they were led by Roberto Noqui, chair of the bids and awards committee (BAC) that declared Asian Aerospace as the winning bidder although the firm’s aircraft cannot carry the required payload of 3,000 pounds.

He was replaced as DND assistant secretary for comptrollership last year.

The source said the three others were recently retired Lt. Gen. Pedro Ike Insierto, a provisional member of the BAC; Gladys Cagadoc, defense assistant secretary for plans and programs and BAC vice chairman; and Air Force Maj. Rummel Perez, who supposedly led the test flight of the aircraft offered by Asian Aerospace.

Teodoro ordered a probe on the BAC members early last year after initial investigation established irregularities in the bidding.

He also sidelined the project. Its funds were integrated into the helicopter acquisition project that is now in the bidding process.

A DND probe body established "complicity" of the four but virtually cleared several other former members of the BAC – then AFP vice chief and now defense undersecretary for modernization Antonio Romero, Brig. Gen. Jerry Jalandoni, and director Edna Guevarra of the office of the undersecretary for internal affairs.