A commander of a Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) frigate was stripped of his duties while the ship was on a goodwill visit to Manila.
The Philippine Navy (PN) welcomed His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ottawa (FFH-341) at the Navy headquarters in Manila last Feb. 7.
However, a statement from the RCN dated Feb. 7 (Feb. 8 in the Philippines) said Commander Adriano Lozer has been relieved of his duties as commanding officer of HMCS Ottawa by Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, commander of RCN, “due to loss of confidence.”
“This measure was deemed necessary to ensure effective leadership in HMCS Ottawa as it continues its deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. The incidents that gave rise to this decision do not concern any form of misconduct,” the RCN statement read.
No other detail was cited by the RCN for the officer’s removal.
HMCS Ottawa was deployed to Manila until Feb. 11 as part of Canada’s “Operation Horizon”, the country’s forward-presence mission to the Indo-Pacific region “to promote peace, stability, and the rules-based international order” in some of the world’s busiest and most vital waterways.
The frigate will return to her home port in Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada in March.
Despite this, the development did not affect the scheduled activities of the crew of HMCS Ottawa while in Manila.
Captain John Percie Alcos, PN spokesperson, said Captain Norman Gautreau, the current commanding officer of the HMCS Ottawa, and his delegation paid a courtesy call on the PN leadership represented by Capt. Lorenzo Bolor Jr., Superintendent of the Fleet Training and Doctrines Center (FTDC).
The RCN delegates were also scheduled to have “professional development and training opportunities” with their counterparts from the PN, community outreach, and friendly games of basketball and ice hockey, according to the Canadian Embassy in Manila.
The PN said the visit of HMCS Ottawa served as an “avenue to strengthen ties between the two navies, focusing on future collaboration in training and military exercises.”
“This goodwill visit highlights the enduring friendship between the Philippine Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy, reinforcing their mutual commitment to regional peace, stability, and cooperation in maritime operations,” Alcos said.
During his courtesy visit, Gautreau expressed the RCN’s willingness to offer submarine training to the PN, further enhancing the two navies’ partnership in defense and maritime security.