MANILA — Despite objections from several sectors, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) pushed through with the signing of contract with F2 Logistics Philippines for the deployment of election equipment for the May 2022 polls.

• Comelec urged to look into ownership of firm poised to bag 2022 logistics deal
• Pagkontrata ng Comelec sa F2 Logistics, 'nakakaduda': Namfrel

The 32-page contract, amounting to P535.99 million, was signed on Oct. 29, 2021 by Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas and F2 Logistics president Efren Uy.

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

Election watchdogs, lawmakers, and private individuals had urged Comelec to disqualify F2 Logistics due to its alleged links to Davao tycoon Dennis Uy, one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s top campaign donors in the 2016 elections.

• Poll watchdog seeks cancellation of delivery contract between Comelec, Dennis Uy-linked logistics firm
• 'Patently unethical': Poll watchdog blasts Comelec's deal with Dennis Uy-linked F2

Dennis Uy is the chairman and CEO of Udenna Corporation, which is engaged in petroleum and retail, shipping and logistics, education, food, gaming and tourism, property development and management, infrastructure development, and energy.

Financial documents listed F2 Logistics as a subsidiary of Udenna Management & Resources Corp., under the parent company Udenna Corporation.

During the Oct. 18, 2021 Senate briefing on the Comelec’s proposed 2022 budget, Abas said that F2's president Efren Uy “is not the brother of Mr. Dennis Uy.”

"Itong si Dennis Uy, yung mga relatives nito, mga governors ng Davao de Oro, Tagum area, mga Mindanao group ‘to. Doon yung relatives niya. Itong si Efren Uy, your honor, Visayas-based, Cebu-based ‘to and NCR. Although magkasosyo sila. But I don’t think may blood relations sila," said Abas.

The poll body had earlier said that donating to a candidate’s campaign kitty is not a ground for disqualification from a government project.

• Selection of F2 for P1.61B Halalan 2022 contract aboveboard: Comelec

SCOPE OF CONTRACT

Under its contract with Comelec, the Parañaque City-based company shall be responsible for the delivery of the following:

• Vote-counting machines (VCMs)
• External batteries and peripherals
• Consolidation and canvassing system (CCS) machines and peripherals
• Transmission equipment and peripherals
• Official ballots
• Ballot boxes
• Other accountable forms and supplies
• Non-accountable forms and supplies
• Election day computerized Voters’ Lists
• Generator Sets

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

On July 30, 2021, the poll body declared F2 Logistics as the bidder with the lowest calculated bid, besting 3 other firms that qualified out of 8 participating companies.

The other eligible bidders were LBC Express, Airspeed International, and 2GO Express, Inc., while the remaining participating firms were One Stop Logistics Solutions, Inc.; Ximex Delivery Express, Inc.; Front Cargo Forwarders, Inc.; and Airfreight 2100, Inc.

The total approved budget for the contract is P1.61 billion.

Poll watchdog Kontra Daya on Monday called on the cancellation of the delivery contract with F2 Logistics, saying that while it is "legal", it undermines the integrity of the May 2022 elections, which will decide Duterte's successor.

"Hindi na to usapin ng legality. Usapin na po ito ng propriety. Para mawala 'yung agam-agam, dapat ma-cancel na itong kontrata at i-award dun sa isa pang kompanya na walang potential conflict of interest," the group's convenor Prof. Danilo Arao told TeleRadyo.

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