Gov't cautioned on revival of P3.6-B license plate deal
By AJ Siytangco
Published Sep 10, 2018 04:43 pm
By Ben Rosario
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) may face President Duterte and millions of Filipino motorists’ wrath should it pursue plans to reconsider the P3.6 billion license plate contract between the Aquino administration and Power Plates Development Concepts Inc. and J. Knieriem BV Power Plates under the Motor Vehicle License Plate Standardization Program (MVLPSP).
Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.
(Congress / Manila Bulletin) “This move by DOTr reeks of unpardonable graft, we can smell it right after DOTr gave the go signal to re-evaluate the highly anomalous deal,” said Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., a member of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety. Teves said these events cannot exculpate former President Aquino and then Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya from liabilities caused by the questionable project. Neither can public clamor for government to address and quickly deliver the plates to the motorists - be used by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and DOTr officials as license to revive the contract. According to the lawmaker, the fact remains that aside the company's clear violation of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act, the license plate supplier violated critical provisions of its multi-billion contract such as sub-contracting resulting to delivery of sub-standard product output. "What inspires the DOTr to revive the deal is no longer a mystery if one is to recall the tainted background of the deal,” said Teves. In its 2014 annual audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) issued a notice of disallowance that rejected the P487.9 million advance payment received by PPI-JKG from the LTO. Auditors noted that there were irregularities in the allocation of the agency’s budget for the deal and several contract violations. Teves vowed to seek a Congressional inquiry into the controversy as soon as it becomes clear that the DOTr will ignore warnings against the contract and decide to pursue it. “I would strongly advise our officials against resurrecting this controversial deal. Instead, they should help gathering evidence to pin down officials behind this mess of Dengvaxia proportions,” Teves added. He also pointed out that the LTO has boasted having the capability to address the country’s vehicle plate requirement following the inauguration of its Plate Making Plant last April.
Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.(Congress / Manila Bulletin) “This move by DOTr reeks of unpardonable graft, we can smell it right after DOTr gave the go signal to re-evaluate the highly anomalous deal,” said Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., a member of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety. Teves said these events cannot exculpate former President Aquino and then Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya from liabilities caused by the questionable project. Neither can public clamor for government to address and quickly deliver the plates to the motorists - be used by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and DOTr officials as license to revive the contract. According to the lawmaker, the fact remains that aside the company's clear violation of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act, the license plate supplier violated critical provisions of its multi-billion contract such as sub-contracting resulting to delivery of sub-standard product output. "What inspires the DOTr to revive the deal is no longer a mystery if one is to recall the tainted background of the deal,” said Teves. In its 2014 annual audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) issued a notice of disallowance that rejected the P487.9 million advance payment received by PPI-JKG from the LTO. Auditors noted that there were irregularities in the allocation of the agency’s budget for the deal and several contract violations. Teves vowed to seek a Congressional inquiry into the controversy as soon as it becomes clear that the DOTr will ignore warnings against the contract and decide to pursue it. “I would strongly advise our officials against resurrecting this controversial deal. Instead, they should help gathering evidence to pin down officials behind this mess of Dengvaxia proportions,” Teves added. He also pointed out that the LTO has boasted having the capability to address the country’s vehicle plate requirement following the inauguration of its Plate Making Plant last April.