AN anti-corruption watchdog filed on Thursday an P830-million graft complaint against Land Transportation Office chief Edgar Galvante before the Office of the Ombudsman.
In a 14-page complaint sheet, Leon Peralta, Anti-Trapo Movement of the Philippines founder, questioned the awarding of the procurement of 8,360,000 pieces of driver's license cards with a five-year validity period to the joint venture of NEXTIX, Dermalog Identification Systems and CFP Strategic Transaction Advisors.
The group also included in the complaint 14 other personalities: bids and awards committee chairman Romeo Vera Cruz and members Dennis Singzon, Maribel Salazar, Irenea Nueva, Rector Antiga, Francis Ray Almora and Mercy Jane Paras-Leynes; technical working group members Norberto Espino III, Camilo Balon, Leda Jose, Paquita dela Cruz and Danila Encela, and a resident auditor of the Commission on Audit.
Peralta said the respondents violated Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Last April, the LTO officials awarded the procurement of 8,360,000 driver's license cards to NEXTIX, Dermalog Identification Systems and CFP Strategic Transaction Advisors at a bid price of P829,668,053.55.
Despite the participation of two other contractors—Kolonwel and AT Pura joint venture and Banner Plasticard Inc. with a bid of P814 million and P750 million, respectively, Galvante and the other officials declared the joint venture of NEXTIX, Dermalog Identification Systems and CFP Strategic Transaction Advisors the lowest calculated responsive bid.
Kolonwel and AT Pura joint venture and Banner Plasticard Inc. had been post-disqualified as the procurement project was awarded to NEXTIX, Dermalog Identification Systems and CFP Strategic Transaction Advisors on April 3.
Galvante and the other accused “did not provide the other bidders of its recommendation to award the contract to Dermalog within the prescribed period,” Peralta said, adding the other bidders must be informed about the award within a period of three calendar days.
Banner Plasticard Inc. was able to receive a copy of the bids and awards committee resolution that NEXTIX and its joint partners won the awards only on April 4, or four days later.
On April 10, Banner Plasticard Inc. challenged the LTO resolution and filed a motion for reconsideration.
Peralta accused Galvante of “intentionally” delaying the delivery of a copy of the resolution to prevent Banner Plasticard Inc. from taking any legal steps.
The procurement project awarded to NEXTIX and its partners was “grossly disadvantageous” to the government, he said, citing a license card only costs P89.71 with Banner Plasticard Inc. against NEXTIX’s P99.16.
The project was overpriced by over P79 million, the movement said.
“Obviously, some 8.36 million Filipino drivers would pay a considerably much higher cost for their driver’s license cards, if and when, the same will be procured from Dermalog,” the complaint read.
Last May 27, Peralta filed a petition with the Supreme Court to terminate the P829,668,053.55 license card deal.
“The project was contracted out to the Dermalog, CFP and NEXTIX JV in clear violation of existing procurement laws,” he told the high court.