By Raphael E. Polintan

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has signed a ₱535.999 million contract with Davao-linked company F2 Logistics for the distribution of ballots, vote-counting machines, and other election-related supplies for the May 2022 elections.

The contract was signed by Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas and F2 Logistics president Efren Uy on October 29, 2021.

Under the agreement, the firm will be responsible for the transportation of vote-counting machines (VCM), canvassing system machines, transmission devices, generator sets, official ballots, ballot boxes, computerized voters’ list, and other equipment and supplies.

The company also agreed for the delivery of election supplies to the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon for ₱106 million; Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol for ₱123 million; Visayas for ₱120.999 million; and Mindanao for ₱185.999 million.

F2 Logistics triumphed over LBC Express, 2Go Express, and Airspeed International in winning the logistics deal, set at a maximum price of ₱1.61 billion, placing the firm right behind Smartmatic, which has so far secured ₱2 billion in contracts.

The company is chaired by Davao businessman Dennis Uy, a donor of ₱30 million to Duterte’s 2016 presidential bid. F2 Logistics CEO and president Efren Uy and corporate treasurer Cherylyn Uy also made contributions to Duterte’s campaign.

F2 Logistics, according to financial documents, is a subsidiary of Udenna Management and Resources Corporation under its parent company Udenna Corporation headed by Dennis Uy.  

Poll watchdogs, critics, and other individuals were alarmed when Comelec awarded the contract to F2 Logistics in August 2021, flagging a potential conflict of interest due to the firm’s links to a major campaign contributor of Duterte.

This prompted Senator Leila de Lima to file a resolution seeking an investigation into the Comelec’s logistics bid.

Gus Lagman, a former poll commissioner and the chairman of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, then raised the possibility of the election’s integrity being threatened over the logistics deal.

Despite calls to disqualify F2 Logistics from the bidding process, Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas stated last August that the company’s ties to Dennis Uy and President Duterte were not sufficient grounds to merit disqualification.

In a Senate briefing conducted on October 18, Abas also said that Efren Uy is not the brother of Dennis Uy, stating that the former is based in Visayas and NCR while the latter’s relatives are based in Mindanao.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez later stated that he saw no reason to terminate the contract with F2 Logistics. He said that the deal had been scrutinized by the Bids and Awards Committee, and no grounds for conflicts of interest were identified.

Jimenez, in a series of tweets, also said that VCMs would be tested and sealed three days prior to the elections, adding that back-ups would be used in the event of a malfunction. He also assured the public that at no point would the logistics provider be able to tamper with the elections as safeguards are in place.

References:

CNN Philippines. (2021, November 1). Done deal: Comelec signs P535-M contract with Dennis Uy’s logistics firm. Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/11/1/Comelec-Dennis-Uy-F2-Logistics-delivery-2022-elections.html

CNN Philippines. (2021, November 2). Comelec assures integrity of votes with F2 Logistics deal for 2022 polls. Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/11/2/Vote-counting-machine-F2-Logistics-Dennis-Uy-Comelec.html

De Leon, D. (2021, November 1). Comelec finalizes half-billion-peso 2022 deal with F2 Logistics. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/comelec-finalizes-deal-f2-logistics-2022-polls

De Leon, D. (2021, November 2). No conflict of interest in 2022 deal with F2 Logistics – Comelec. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/comelec-response-allegations-conflict-interest-deal-f2-logistics-2022-polls

Mendoza, J. E. (2021, November 2). No grounds yet to cancel F2 Logistics deal with Comelec — spokesman. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from  https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1509301/no-grounds-yet-to-cancel-f2-logistics-deal-with-comelec-spokesman

Pazzibugan, D. (2021, November 1). It’s official: Comelec signs P536-M contract with F2 Logistics. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1508799/its-official-comelec-signs-p536-m-contract-with-duterte-pal

Reformina, I. (2021, November 1). Comelec inks P500-M logistics deal with firm allegedly linked to Davao tycoon. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/01/21/comelec-inks-p500-m-deal-with-firm-allegedly-linked-to-davao-tycoon