What now, P-Noy, sack PNP-BOI generals too?

Leo Querubin, head of the Philippine Computer Society, reacts to my item last Mon. about the Customs’ bidding for two computerizations. I wrote that the sole bidder, a local firm with a Greek partner, seemed under-skilled and -staffed for the P650-million work. Likely to flop is the bureau’s planned collections rise by ending corrupt paperwork and quickening import processing. Querubin assures otherwise:

“As PCS president I was invited to observe the entire proceeding at the Dept. of  Budget and Management’s Procurement Service. DBM-PS was the project procuring entity, on behalf of the Bureau of Customs.

“Bidding was conducted fairly and transparently. Five bidders initially expressed interest. During the opening of bids Web Fontaine quickly was disqualified for non-submission of tax clearance. Two others, Fritz & Macziol JV and eKonek JV, later were disqualified for deficient documents. Two bidders remained: OmniPrime/Intrasoft and Innove/CrimsonLogic. The latter failed the technical score; only the former reached the passing mark. I cannot give you more details as I may violate confidentiality rules while the bidding is still in progress.

“I was present during the evaluation, and I assure you the rules consistently were applied by the Technical Working Group to all the bidders.

“Regarding OmniPrime being barred from government bidding in 2013, it should not have been allowed to bid in this project if that were so. A director from the BoC  is a member of the Bids and Awards Committee, so I assume she would raised the issue of OmniPrime being barred.

“On Feb. 13 OmniPrime ended up as the only bidder allowed to submit technical and financial proposals. Right after the submission, Intrasoft presented a Proof of Concept. BoC Commissioner Sevilla and two deputies witnessed it. No issues were raised about the eligibility of OmniPrime or Intrasoft.

“My humble inputs....”

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Filipinos fed up with the politicized bureaucracy at first belittled the PNP board of inquiry into the Mamasapano debacle. That mere ad hoc unit was unlikely to contradict bosses like President Noynoy Aquino or Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima. Police generals were the worst bootlickers to the whimsical last three Presidents. So why expect nine more of them to tell the truth that P-Noy obviously suppressed in congressional probes. More so since that pesky truth could jeopardize their promotion and placement to plum assignments.

Filipinos thought wrong, though. The BOI generals surprised them in proclaiming outright why a raid to take down three ruthless terrorists ended in the massacre of 44 police commandos by Moro separatists with whom P-Noy is supposed to have a truce.

Three truths were listed in the BOI report. The first, the public and P-Noy already know. Special Action Force Dir. Getulio Napeñas was an inept commando general. His planning of the raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, lair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, was as spotty as his execution. He entertained no objections from subordinates about his style of and equipment for preparations, among others he had no idea of how slow the Army artillery would be able to support if told only at the time it is needed.

Two other truths the public already knows too, but which P-Noy just can’t admit. His bosom friend Purisima had broken the PNP chain of command by directing the Mamasapano operation on Jan. 25, nearly two months into his six-month suspension by the Ombudsman for graft. And P-Noy too broke that chain in letting Purisima do it, and keeping out of the loop Officer-in-Charge Leonardo Espina and Interior Sec. Mar Roxas.

For courage to stand up for truth and integrity of the police, and for their selflessness, the public congratulates the PNP-BOI generals:

• Dir. Benjamin Magalong, head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; former SAF battalion commander who walloped mutinying terrorist-inmates at the Bicutan jail, Taguig City, in 2001; and Napeñas’ batch mate at the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982;

• Dir. Catalino Rodriguez, PMA 1981 along with Purisima; currently head of the Directorate for Reseach and Development; holder of Masters degree in Criminal Justice and Police Management from the U.K. University of Lei Ces Per;

• Chief Supt. John Sosito, Philippine National Police Academy Class ’84, current Executive Officer of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Eastern Mindanao; and lawyer;

• Sr. Supt. Roberto Po, PNPA ‘85, formerly with the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management; currently deputy for public information;

• Sr. Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, PMA ’86; former City Director of Davao City; presently assigned to the Directorate for Human Resource Development;

• Sr. Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, PMA ’87; one-time Metro Manila station commander and Highway Patrol Group; served with the UN Mission in Liberia in 2013-2014;

• Sr. Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., PMA ’88, former SAF officer and provincial commander of Aklan; also served in UN peacekeeping missions; and

• Chief Insp. David Joy Duarte, PNPA 2005 class top-notcher and graduate of the Asian Institute of Management; served with SAF, 2005-2011.

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P-Noy’s spokesman and Roxas dispute the BOI’s findings. Supposedly it was only Napeñas who blundered, and Purisima who broke the chain of command. They make all sorts of excuses to clear P-Noy. They choose to ignore basic questions like, what is it that P-Noy told Purisima behind closed doors that made the latter “advise” Napeñas upon coming out to withhold info from Roxas and Espina about the forthcoming raid? Why had P-Noy not told Roxas about the Mamasapano plan as far as 2013, when first attempts to take down the three terrorists were made? If he was so concerned about police-military coordination, why hadn’t P-Noy himself ordered the AFP to rescue the encircled SAF commandos?

Roxas no less had formed the BOI. P-Noy had kept telling the public to wait for its report before making personal conclusions. Now that the BOI report does not suit them, what will they do – sack the generals?

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Chinese artworks from Shandong province are to be on limited exhibit in Makati starting Wed. “Cultural China – Artworks of Eight Calligraphers and Painters” features renowned art professors and guild masters from the birthplace of Confucius. To run Mar. 18-20, the show is at the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Ayala corner Buendia Avenues.

Chairman emeritus Carlos Chan of Liwayway Marketing, maker of internationally famous Oishi snack foods, set up the cultural exchange. “We hope to add to Filipino awareness of Chinese art,” says Chan, also the President’s special envoy to China. One of Oishi’s 14 China factories is in Shandong.

The Philippines traces ties as early as 1417 to Shandong, where a Sulu chieftain passed away due to illness on the way home from a visit to the Chinese emperor in Beijing. The emperor had a tomb built, and dozens from the sultan’s entourage chose to stay, assimilating with the locals. Centuries later the China State Council declared the tomb a historical-cultural site.

Chinese Amb. Zhao Jianjua, Senate President Franklin Drilon, and RCBC chairwoman Helen Dee will open the exhibit at 10 a.m. Wed.

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Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ, (882-AM).

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