September 23, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Local police units have been ordered to intensify preparations for the 2025 elections, with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil raising a warning against political interference ahead of the filing of certificates of candidacy in October.
“I am reminding every officer that political neutrality is a core responsibility. Do not allow yourselves to be influenced or used by politicians,” Marbil said yesterday.
Police officers engaging in partisan activities will face strict disciplinary action, he said.
“Any form of political interference, whether direct or indirect, will be met with swift and decisive action,” the PNP chief said.
Marbil also encouraged the public to report irregularities involving law enforcers.
Filing of certificates of candidacy is scheduled from Oct. 1 to 8.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said deployment and warehousing contracts for the 2025 polls should be free from any political colors.
Winning bidders of the contracts would be required to disclose persons and entities behind their company, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said.
“They should not be connected to candidates, political parties and party-list groups,” he said in a recent interview.
Three elections are set to take place next year: the midterm elections and the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in May, and village and youth council elections in December.
A declaration of “political neutrality” shall be issued by the winning bidder for the P1.7-billion project.
On Sept. 20, F2 Logistics Philippines Inc. tendered the lowest calculated bids for all four lots of the project.
F2 Logistics’ bids will undergo a post-qualification evaluation by the poll body’s Bids and Awards Committee, the Comelec said.
Based on Comelec data, F2 Logistics submitted a bid of P130.999 million for lot 1, while LBC Express tendered a bid of P171.752 million.
Lot 1 covers the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon, with a budget of P296.240 million allotted by the Comelec.
For lot 2, the Comelec allocated P424.823 million, covering Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region and Metro Manila.
F2 Logistics tendered a bid of P161.999 million for lot 2. The second lowest calculated bid belonged to Ximex Delivery Express, amounting to P285.652 million.
Lot 3 has a budget of P364.015, covering Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
F2 Logistics offered P170.999 million for lot 3. LBC posted a bid of P174.743 million for the second-lowest calculated bid.
For lot 4, the Comelec allotted P615.718 million, covering the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. F2 Logistics set a bid of P221.999 million for lot 4.
In the 2022 elections, F2 Logistics won the bidding for the deployment of election materials after offering the lowest bid. The firm was linked to businessman Dennis Uy, who was reportedly former president Rodrigo Duterte’s fourth-largest campaign donor during the 2016 elections. — Evelyn Macairan, Mayen Jaymalin
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