P10 million offered for withdrawal of plunder raps? Nabcor denies charge

MANILA, Philippines - Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap was accused yesterday of offering P10 million to a group of bidders to withdraw the plunder case they have filed against him and other agriculture officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The allegations were made by Peter Go, sales manager of Kolonwell Inc., the complaining bidder in the P400-million ice-making project of the National Agribusiness Corp., at a forum at Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City.

Speaking to reporters, Go said Yap made the offer via telephone while he and other Kolonwell officials were having a meeting at a coffee shop in Trinoma Mall in Quezon City at about 11 a.m. on Oct. 21 last year.

“Secretary Yap promised to give P10 million if the case is withdrawn and the protest against the bidding process will be stopped,” he said.

However, Katherine Pioquinto, Nabcor spokesman, who was also at the forum, denied the allegations and challenged Go to prove that Yap had made the offer.

In response, Go said they have already sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to authenticate the call and prove his allegations.

“I am already leaving the office, I am willing to give you P10 million,” Go quoted Yap as telling him.

Four witnesses will testify to prove that Yap had attempted to bribe them, he added.

In a statement, Yap said he does not have to bribe anyone over a deal that is aboveboard.

“The Nabcor bidding was public, there were public participants and I did not even participate in the bidding,” he said.

“I am not the president or chairman but I made sure that the deal was aboveboard. 

“They apparently want to draw me into the fray because the failed bidders want me to help them bag the contract.”

Yap said the people behind the move are from the same group that takes part in government biddings to extort money from other bidders to buy them out.

“That is their modus operandi and I will not be drawn into that,” he said.

“They have filed an Ombudsman case so I will fight them there. They know they have no chance legally for which they have stopped raising false accusation. 

“Unfortunately, the election season is also providing a conducive atmosphere for such talk but a thousand press releases and cases will not alter the truth. The public bidding is aboveboard, and their case has no legal leg to stand on.”

Pioquinto said the public bidding conformed with all requirements under the law.

Some of the complainants were present and even participated in the bidding last Sept. 2, she added.

“The DA and Nabcor are now gathering evidence against this notorious group with an eye on exposing its nefarious schemes and possibly filing the appropriate charges,” Pioquinto said.

Kolonwell claimed the winning bidder, Integrated Refrigeration System and Services, submitted a bid overpriced by more than P2 million for the 98 ice-making machines.

IRSS submitted a P4.5-million bid when the actual cost of the machines was P2.3 million, Kolonwell added.

The winning bidder submitted fake documents, and the company was only registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission a day before the bidding, Kolonwell said.   – Perseus Echeminada