Five suppliers qualify in Rep. Cuenco's P6M multicab project

Five suppliers of multicabs in Cebu have qualified to join the bidding for the P6 million multicab project of Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco for south district barangays in the city.

JRA Surplus, Albert Surplus, RDAK, MDO Visayas and Hilton Industries are the multicab suppliers which qualified for the project's bidding during yesterday's pre-qualification bidding held at the Quiot Barangay Hall.

The P6 million allotted for the purchase of multicabs will be taken from Cuenco's Priority Assistance Development Fund for 2006. Barangay Quiot is the conduit for the project.

Quiot barangay captain Vicente Ramos said the five suppliers have complied with the requirements set by the Bids and Awards Committee and added that the bidding is scheduled on February 15.

"I hope this will stop some speculations nga dunay nakabintaha ani nga transaksyon" Ramos said, adding that the floor price for each multicab has been lowered to P200,000 from the P300,000 original offer of RDAK.

Cuenco, RDAK general manager Reagan King and Ramos are facing criminal and administrative complaints at the Ombudsman for the Visayas for the alleged overpricing of the multicabs.

It was Irene Camarista, a resident of barangay Guadalupe, who filed the complaint saying the vehicles, which are now being used by the barangays were purchased without bidding and were overpriced at P300,000 each when these could be bought only for P100,000 each.

Cuenco, however, said that the government has not paid anything for the multicabs now being used by the barangays because RDAK lent these vehicles to the barangays while the bidding for the supply of the vehicles is still going on. He said the vehicles that are now being used by the barangays will be returned to RDAK should another supplier win in the bidding.

RDAK representative Serencio Dy told reporters that there was nothing anomalous in their agreement to let the barangays use the vehicles while the bidding is still being conduct because they were not paid for it.

"Wa may nahitabo nga transaksyon kay igo ra man mi nihatag ug quotation sa presyo, mag-una una man sila ug duda." Dy said.

Dy welcomed the move of making the transaction an opening bidding to erase doubts that the company was favored in the project. - Ramil V. Ayuman