Two Capitol officials denies bid rigging of the P168-million worth of heavy equipment to be purchased by the provincial government.
Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Handel Lagunay conducted an assessment on how the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) carried out the procurement process upon orders issued by Gov. Erico Aumentado.
Meanwhile, during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) session on February 17, provincial Board Member Cesar Tomas Lopez lashed out at the committee for its “failure to comply” with key provisions of the procurement law that again placed the provincial government “in a bad light due to the fact that the manner by which goods [are purchased] cannot face up to public scrutiny”.
The bidding took the spotlight after a disenfranchised Japanese supplier filed protests to the BAC for allegedly giving “undue advantage to preferred suppliers”.