Despite suspicions and doubts raised over the propriety of awarding the P535.99 million contract to deliver election equipment and paraphernalia, the Commission on Election declared that it sees no reasons to rescind the contract awarded to F2 Logistics, a company owned by supposed presidential friend Dennis Uy.
THE Commission on Election has awarded anew the contract in distributing election equipment and paraphernalia to F2 Logistics, a company owned by embattled Dennis Uy, reportedly aclose friend of President Duterte.
Previously, F2 was also awarded the distribution of election materials in the 2016 polls.
This time however, many objected and raised doubts in Comelec’s awarding of the multimillion- peso contract to F2 Logistics.
Poll watchdogs, lawmakers, and private individuals have urged Comelec to disqualify the company due to its links to the sitting president.
Fears have been raised of possible manipulation of the process, conduct and counting of votes.
But Comelec pushed through with the awarding of the P535.99 million contract to F2 last October 29 that was signed between Comelec Chaiman Sherriff Abas and F2 president Efren Uy.
Dennis Uy is the chairman and CEO of Udenna Corporation, which is engaged in petroleum and retail, shipping and logistics, education, food, gaming and tourism, property development and management, infrastructure development, and energy.
He, energy officials and Chevron are facing graft charges before the Ombudsman for the sale of shares in Malampaya natural gas project in Palawan to Uy’s company Udenna making him owner of 90 percent shares, with government left with only 10 percent.
Financial documents listed F2 Logistics as a subsidiary of Udenna Management & Resources Corp., under the parent company Udenna Corporation.
During the Oct. 18, 2021 Senate briefing on the Comelec’s proposed 2022 budget, Abas denied that F2's president Efren Uyhas links with Dennis Uy.
“He is not the brother of Mr. Dennis Uy.”
"Itong si Dennis Uy, yung mga relatives nito, mga governors ng Davao de Oro, Tagum area, mga Mindanao group ‘to. Doon yung relatives niya. Itong si Efren Uy, your honor, Visayas-based, Cebu-based ‘to and NCR. Although magkasosyo sila. But I don’t think may blood relations sila," said Abas.
The poll body had earlier said that donating to a candidate’s campaign kitty is not a ground for disqualification from a government project.
Scope of contract
Under its contract with Comelec, the Parañaque City-based company shall be responsible for the delivery of the following:
Vote-counting machines (VCMs)
External batteries and peripherals
Consolidation and canvassing system (CCS) machines and peripherals
Transmission equipment and peripherals
Official ballots
Ballot boxes
Other accountable forms and supplies
Non-accountable forms and supplies
Election day compurerized Voters’ Lists
Generator Sets
Yung kontratang binid ng F2 ay hindi para sa supply of equipment. Ang actual bid nila is for the deployment, logistics po. Deployment lang sila, hindi magsu-supply ng equipment," Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told TeleRadyo.
(F2 did not bid for supply of equipment. The actual bid was for the deployment, logistics. Only the deployment, not to supply equipment.)
On July 30, 2021, the poll body declared F2 Logistics as the bidder with the lowest calculated bid, besting 3 other firms that qualified out of 8 participating companies.
The other eligible bidders were LBC Express, Airspeed International, and 2GO Express, Inc., while the remaining participating firms were One Stop Logistics Solutions, Inc.; Ximex Delivery Express, Inc.; Front Cargo Forwarders, Inc.; and Airfreight 2100, Inc.
The total approved budget for the contract is P1.61 billion.
Poll watchdog Kontra Daya on Monday called on the cancellation of the delivery contract with F2 Logistics, saying that while it is "legal," it undermines the integrity of the May 2022 elections, which will decide Duterte's successor.
"Hindi na to usapin ng legality. Usapin na po ito ng propriety. Para mawala 'yung agam-agam, dapat ma-cancel na itong kontrata at i-award dun sa isa pang kompanya na walang potential conflict of interest," the group's convenor Prof. Danilo Arao said.
Tags: #Comelec, #F2Logistics, #electionequipmentandparaphernalia, #Halalan2022, #elections