Failure of bidding sought for MCIAA building project

CEBU, Philippines - The Engineering Department of Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority recommended a failure of bidding for the P200 million Operations Building.

Engineer Achilles Ponce, acting chief and member of the Bids and Awards Committee, has suggested to set aside the result of the bidding held on April 7 because of some defects that need to be addressed.

“Let’s regroup, re-evaluate our process and our documents. If it necessitates I will pull out our documents and subject it for thorough review,” read Ponce’s Department Memorandum No. 013 dated April 7, 2017.

Among the issues which Ponce has clarified is the non-compliance with the soil testing requirements that was earlier brought up by self-proclaimed whistleblower and businessman Crisologo Saavedra in a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Saavedra filed a complaint on March 31 against lawyer Glenn Napuli, BAC chairman; lawyer Cyril Apao, vice chairman, and Gina Cane, member.

Ponce said that during the pre-bid conference, it was clarified that the winning bidder will conduct the soil testing.

Ponce was also reacting to question of Napuli as to why Saavedra, in several complaints, has excluded him and Engr. Eduardo Ginete, who is also member of the BAC, and the ones who prepared the documents about the soil testing and the very persons who could answer the concerns.

“We could not speak in behalf of Mr. Saavedra and whatever his tactics/antics maybe but rest assured it is not my doing or Ed to malign, destroy your good names and most especially our friendship,” Ponce said.

Napuli, Apao and Cane earlier threatened to sue Ponce, Ginete and Saavedra if the businessmen will not include them in his complaint.

Ponce’s memorandum addressed to Napuli, Apao, and Cane was received by MCIAA Records Office at 2:55 in the afternoon on the same day.

Napuli said same memorandum was received by BAC Secretariat at 4:03 in the afternoon, after the bid opening which started at 2:30 in the afternoon, when Ponce reportedly did not appear as member.

“I’m sorry I cannot participate if you will continue the process today. I am strongly objecting it for the record based on issues above which was not, I believe was properly addressed by us,” said Ponce in his memorandum.

Ponce’s memorandum has prompted Saavedra to file his supplemental complaint last Monday before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Napuli said that getting documents from the BAC secretly is illegal as it gives a bidder undue advantage against all other bidders.

“This practice of Mr. Saavedra of getting documents, then filing cases except Engr. Ponce, needs to be investigated.  We now have more reason to file the case to include all members of the BAC and Mr. Saavedra to clarify everything. Mr. Saavedra will have to explain how he secured a copy of Engr. Ponce’s letter hours after it was sent.  A true anti-graft crusader will surely be open to a thorough investigation. Mr. Saavedra and Engr. Ponce will have a lot of explaining to do,” said Napuli in a statement.

In his supplemental complaint, Saavedra said the letter did not come from Ponce but from unknown source.

“I want the NBI to investigate if that letter really came from an unknown source or really from Engr. Ponce himself,” Napuli added.

“Let me invite any interested bidder to participate freely in MCIAA biddings and not to worry about Mr. Saavedra as he can never influence the BAC despite his threats,” Napuli further said. —/FPL (FREEMAN)