Aquino slams disqualified fire truck bidders

CONCEPCION, Tarlac—President Benigno Aquino III said Monday his government will get back at the suppliers who are now suing it after they lost a contract to deliver fire trucks in a rebidding conducted by Interior and Local Government.

The President commended Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo for the rebidding of fire trucks which will now cost the government only P5 million per unit–down from the previous P9 million per unit–the winning bid during the Arroyo administration.

But he said the losing bidders have filed a suit against Robredo for “alleged wrongdoings.”

“You have a situation where people who are conspiring to defraud the country and its people and who have the gall and temerity to start suing people who are doing what is right,” Aquino said in a speech he delivered at the inauguration of the plant of D’Luxe Bags Philippines Inc. here.

The President said he has asked the Department of Justice to study the matter “once the suit is settled, to sue the people wasting the time of government [through] … frivolous lawsuits.”