Avoid Sanctions: Philippines Cancels Purchase Of 12 Russian Helicopters, Opts For US Chinook

CH-47F Chinook helicopter illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Acroterion)

JAKARTA - The Philippines is looking to buy Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from the United States, after scrapping a deal with Russia worth 12.7 billion pesos, about $227.35 million to evade sanctions, Manila's ambassador to Washington said Monday.

Days before President Rodrigo Duterte ended his six-year term last June, the Philippines scrapped a deal to buy 16 Mi-17 military transport helicopters from Russia, over concerns of US sanctions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The cancellation of this contract was mainly triggered by the war in Ukraine. There are sanctions from the United States and western countries, it is definitely not in our interest to continue and pursue this contract," Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez told reporters.

It is known, Moscow said it was carrying out "special military operations" in Ukraine, along with the invasion carried out since February 24.

Romualdez explained, the Chinook will replace the hardware used for troop movement, as well as in disaster preparedness in the Southeast Asian country so far.

The United States is willing to reach an agreement for the Philippines' set amount to spend on Russian helicopters, Romualdez said, adding the deal with Washington would likely cover maintenance, service and spare parts.

The Philippines is in discussions with Russia to recover a $38 million advance for the helicopters, whose deliveries are supposed to begin in November next year, or 24 months after the contract was signed.

Manila is on the verge of modernizing its outdated 300 billion pesos military hardware over five years, which includes warships from World War Two and helicopters used by the United States in the Vietnam War.

In addition to the military deal, the Philippines, under new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., also wants to increase economic exchanges with the United States including in manufacturing, digital infrastructure and clean energy, to modular nuclear power, Romualdez added.