MANILA — An election watchdog on Wednesday branded as "patently unethical" the partnership between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and F2 Logistics Philippines, said to be owned by Davao tycoon Dennis Uy, for a crucial delivery service for Halalan 2022.

• Comelec en banc approves F2 as logistics provider for Halalan 2022

"It may be technically legal but it is patently unethical. F2 Logistics' partnership with Comelec compromises the integrity of the 2022 polls," Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao told ABS-CBN News.

Poll watchdog @kontradaya says Comelec’s partnership with Dennis Uy-linked firm F2 Logistics is “patently unethical” & compromises the integrity of #halalan2022.

A Comelec commissioner earlier said awarding the P1.6B contract to F2 was simply compliance to procurement rules. pic.twitter.com/vLXUk62VOz

— J.E. Villaruel (@jauhnetienne) August 25, 2021

Comelec commissioner Marlon Casquejo earlier confirmed that the poll body en banc has awarded a P1.61-billion logistics contract to F2, making it in charge of transporting, delivery, and warehousing of election materials, equipment, and other paraphernalia for the May 2022 elections.

• Comelec clarifies scope of logistics deal under scrutiny; watchdog raises 'propriety'

Casquejo said they awarded the contract to F2 simply as compliance to procurement rules.

BREAKING: Comelec has awarded F2 Logistics PH the P1.61B contract for the delivery of automated election system-related equipment, VCMs, ballots and other supplies, Commissioner Marlon Casquejo tells ABS-CBN News.

F2 Logistics is linked to Dennis Ang Uy’s Udenna.

— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) August 25, 2021

"It just so happened that we are just following the GPPB (Government Procurement Policy Board) rules as I have said that we have to comply with the lowest calculated bid... F2 Logistics [has] the lowest calculated bid in the deployment of AES supplies," Casquejo said.

But for Kontra Daya, the issue goes beyond the legality of the deal.

"A major campaign contributor of the Duterte presidential campaign gets to be in charge of transportation of election paraphernalia, equipment and supplies. There is clearly something wrong with this picture that no amount of legal technicalities can debunk," Arao said.

• Comelec urged to look into ownership of firm poised to bag 2022 logistics deal

Uy is the 4th largest campaign donor to President Rodrigo Duterte's 2016 presidential bid, contributing P30 million.

• P334M from only 13 donors funded Duterte's presidency

While Uy has not publicly confirmed or denied his ownership of F2 Logistics, ABS-CBN News has obtained an annual report of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2020, where it listed F2 Logistics as a subsidiary of Udenna Management & Resources Corp., under the parent company Udenna Corporation in which Uy sits as chairman and president.

A Wall Street Journal profile also listed Uy as chairman at F2 Logistics.

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