Watchdog wants gov’t probe on P3.85B LTO license-plate contract
By Tetch Torres-Tupas
8:44 am | Monday, March 25th, 2013
2 529 384
MANILA, Philippines—An
anti-corruption watchdog asked the government to investigate the P3.85-billion
contract for vehicle license plates by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
In a letter, the Anti-Trapo Movement
of the Philippines’ Leon Peralta also called on the government particularly
Government Procurement Policy Board Executive Director Ruby U. Alvarez to
blacklist German firm Utsch and to prevent the firm from conducting further
business in the country.
Utsch, a German firm got the
contract for the license plates. However, the group said the Department of
Transportation and Communications (DoTC) made the decision without prior
consultation with the LTO.
Under the contract, the method to be
used for the license plates is the hot stamping technology, which, the group
said is “an antiquated technology for motor vehicle plates” and there is a
worldwide trend against its continued use.
“A further review of the Bid
Documents shows that the technical specifications embedded in the Terms of
Reference (TOR), appear to have been configured specifically for Utsch.
The group added that Utsch has been
involved in a number of high profile corruption cases involving bribery to
government officials in exchange for the contract to produce motor vehicle
plates.
In 2011 for instance, Utsch’s chief
executive Helmut Jungbluth, was convicted by an Egyptian court and sentenced in
absentia to a year’s jail over a contract with the former Mubarak government.
At least two (2) former Egyptian
ministers and ex-prime minister Ahmed Nazif were sentenced to prison on charges
of squandering public funds.
The news article reported that “Nazif, former interior minister Habib al-Adli and former finance minister Youssef Boutrous-Ghali were accused of granting a contract of license plates to German company Utsch through direct order above market prices, thus violating laws related to tenders and auctions. They were together fined about 200 million Egyptian pounds (33.5 million dollars).
Boutrous-Ghali, whose location
remains unknown, was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison. Last month,
he was sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison on corruption charges.
Al-Adli received a five-year sentence. He is already serving a 12-year sentence
on separate charges of embezzlement.
Nazif got a one-year suspended term in jail. Helmut Jungbluth, the chief executive of Utsch, was sentenced in absentia to one year in jail.
Nazif got a one-year suspended term in jail. Helmut Jungbluth, the chief executive of Utsch, was sentenced in absentia to one year in jail.
“It is extremely alarming that
despite numerous presentations made by various technology providers on the most
advanced plate making technologies, and despite widespread knowledge of the
trend against the hot stamping technology, the DoTC BAC, apparently without
prior consultation with the LTO, unilaterally adopted the hot stamping
technology,” the group said.
The group is requesting that the
DoTC Bids and Awards Committee be investigated on how they arrived at the Terms
of Reference, and specifically determining the individual or individuals who
crafted the document.
- See more at:
http://www.inquirer.net/philippine-election-2013/articles/379489#sthash.BEXatWI3.dpuf
Please follow these links:
http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Ruby-Alvarez/1235286867
PMU Broadcast Monitoring Report Monday, 01 April 2013 6:00am to ...
Apr 1, 2013 - DZMM:
Hinamon ng Anti-Trapo Movement of the
Philippines ang pamahalaan an paimbestigahan ang
halos P4B kontratang pinasok ng LTO ...
