InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines - The supposed winning bidder in the Philippine National Police's (PNP) procurement of almost 60,000 short firearms was disqualified for failing to meet certain documentary requirements in the bidding process.
R. Espineli Trading, which partners with the Israel Weapons Industry, the manufacturer of Jericho 9-millimeter pistols, and had the lowest bid of P974 million, failed to pass the post-qualification process, according to PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr.
Also, Cerbo said the PNP's technical working group had discovered several "violations" committed by R. Espineli, including its failure to comply with the required certification from the Insurance Commission for bid security and submit the appropriate receipt of authentication from the Philippine Embassy.
The PNP's Bids and Awards Committee is expected to issue a ruling Thursday and write a formal letter to R. Espineli regarding the violation.
The contract for the procurement of 59,904 pistols will now go to the second lowest bidder, Trust Trade, which imports Glock 9mm pistols. Trust Trade earlier entered a bid of P998 million.
If Trust Trade passes the post-qualification process, its guns would undergo a stress test.
The PNP has allotted P1.2 billion for the procurement of the pistols to address the firearms shortage among policemen.
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