Six Firms Bid for Security Services in Capitol

Following the controversy over the bidding for Capitol’s security services, at least six security firms bid out as manifested in their attendance last July 11.

“Yes, of course. That is why we were here to join,” the Capitol’s public information office quoted Alex Montañez as saying. Montañez is president of Davao Cavaliers Security Agency. Davao Cavaliers was not among those that joined the controversial bidding, which resulted to Provincial Bids and Awards Committee vice chairman Orvi Ortega to resign from the said committee after allegations of rigging the process.

Ortega, who was chairman of BAC, was alleged of manipulating the process after the Capitol had allowed Black Pearl to provide its services even prior to the declaration of a winning bidder. When BAC, shortly after, declared Black Pearl a winner allegation had it that it was a done deal, and that Ortega had pocketed at least P200,000 from Black Pearl, to which the former BAC chairman and provincial lawyer had denied.

At the height of the controversy, BAC announced that Black Pearl had to undergo a last round of evaluation first before the contract would be awarded to it. While this post-qualification process was conducted, one of Black Pearl guards allegedly shot a motorcycle-for-hire driver.

But before this, BAC reportedly discovered that Black Pearl did not actually meet the qualifications.

Before the said security agency was dropped from the short list, the Capitol had revamped the members of BAC and in the process had resulted to Ortega to slide down as its vice chairman.

Davide III, however, denied that the changes adapted by BAC was due to the controversial bidding.

When Black Pearl was dropped from the shortlist, BAC reconsidered the remaining bidders: Tactical Security Services and GDS Security and Detective Agency and General Services. Just when everyone was expecting for said committee to announce a new winner, Davide declared a failure of bidding.

This time around, Tactical and GDS are back to try to win the P27-million contract.Black Pearl did not join.