Opposition Senator Leila de Lima has urged Congress to investigate the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) possible awarding of logistics contract for the May 2022 elections to F2 Logistics Philippines, a firm largely controlled by businessman Dennis Uy—a known ally and campaign donor of President Duterte.
In filing Senate Resolution No. 855, De Lima said it is important to make sure that the 2022 national and local elections would be fair, free from suspicions of cheating, manipulation and irregularities by disqualifying suppliers with known links to political parties and possible candidates.
“There is a need to avoid any semblance of conflict of interest and ensure that no supplier that participated in partisan political activities should be awarded with contracts connected to the conduct of our national and local elections,” De Lima said in her resolution.
“Any transaction or contract that would erode public trust in government, and in the objectivity of civil service, must be put under the strictest scrutiny,” she stressed.
The COMELEC special bids and awards committee (SBAC) declared F2 Logistics Philippines, Inc. as the winning bidder last July 27, with the lowest calculated bid for the ₱1.61-billion project for the procurement and deployment of election equipment, peripherals, forms, supplies, paraphernalia and warehousing for 2022 elections.
F2 supposedly bested three other firms that qualified out of eight (8) participating firms. As the winning bidder, F2 is expected to deliver equipment and supplies such as vote-counting machines, external batteries and accessories, consolidation or canvassing system machines, transmission equipment and devices, and ballots.
In a statement, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez denied that the Parañaque City-based F2 Logistics has been awarded the logistics contract, saying it was only declared as the "bidder with the lowest calculated bid" for the P1.61-billion project.
“F2 Logistics hasn't been awarded the logistics contract. Since it submitted the lowest bid, it is now going through the post-qualification process, which hasn't been completed yet,” Jimenez said.
But according to the senator, the Senate should conduct an inquiry regarding the contract and check if this is compliant with the provisions of the Government Procurement Reform Act and other laws.
De Lima, a known critic of the Duterte administration, said Uy has reportedly sat as chairman of F2 Logistics Philippines since 2006.
Should there be conflict of interest found, De Lima said those who are found to have taken part in the contract must be answerable to the public.
“Even a whiff of cronyism and the slightest accusation of possible corruption must warrant public concern for these threaten the people’s right of suffrage,” she said.
“This issue should not be taken lightly especially when an apparent majority control over many industries that affect the lives and rights of Filipinos are concentrated in the same hands and within the same circle of those who are closely connected to the President,” the lawmaker stressed.
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