Marcoleta tinanong DOTr exec ukol sa ‘special order’
SAGIP Party-list Congressman Rodante Marcoleta has questioned Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Kim Robert de Leon about Secretary Jaime Bautista’s special order that centralizes in his office all contracts worth more than P50 million, including the purchase of plastic cards for driver’s licenses with a total contract price of P250 million.
In the previous hearing of the House Committee on Transportation, Marcoleta expressed doubt if the DOTr has the capacity compared to the LTO which is supposed to do its projects.
According to Marcoleta, the special order of Bautista and his colleagues has legal implications.
“Do you believe that given the fact that you are the ones who will procure now will you be in a position to tell us that you have already acquired the competence the skill and knowledge that LTO has obtained over the years in relation to procurement?” asked Marcoleta.
Marcoleta added, “For the longest time they are doing this now you (DOTr) will get that duty to procure, which means you have got that competence. Because you must give us a reasonable level of comfort?”
“Can you freely and honestly tell us that your competence now, because we are going to procure, is it at par with the competence gained by the LTO?” asked the legislator.
DOTr Undersecretary Kim Robert de Leon replied, “Yes your honor, definitely your honor.”
Marcoleta also pointed out that when discussing the 2023 national budget, Congress knew that the LTO would implement its projects.
“When the LTO confronted us with our opinion, they presented and they defended their budget, we were there and we approved their budget, knowing that they are the ones to implement their budget, this is the problem…. You are changing the very intent of the law,” insisted Marcoleta.
Marcoleta said that the DOTr should also not ignore the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) and other accounting and budget processes “you might have problems later on.”
Marcoleta asked the DOTr to consider the special order which transfers the bidding of projects of P50 million and above to the Central Bids and Awards Committee (CBAC) of the DOTr.
