Firm in bid to modernize Subic port cries ‘unfair’

A company operating major ports in the country yesterday cried foul over its inclusion in a graft case that the Ombudsman recommended against former and current officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) over alleged irregularities in a port contract in Subic, Zambales.

“It is both strange and disheartening that officers of Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. (HCPTI) ended up being at the receiving end of baseless accusations for trying to develop Subic into a fully functioning and modern hub for shipping operations,” said a Harbour Centre statement sent by lawyer Carlo Solis, head of HCPTI’s administration division.

The Ombudsman ordered the filing of charges against former and current officials of SBMA and two top executives of

HCPTI over alleged irregularities in a contract to operate a port inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Solis said the HCPTI proposal to modernize Subic ports underwent rigorous government scrutiny and bidding process as required by the rules on joint venture agreements (JVA) between government and private entities that were issued by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

In the statement, he said HCPTI not only followed all the rules and complied with strict government standards and regulations, but also complied with additional requirements imposed by the SBMA Board.

The Ombudsman, in a joint resolution, said the SBMA and HCPTI officials recommended charged “displayed manifest partiality and evident bad faith in the performance of their functions” in awarding the contract to HCPTI.

The resolution said on Feb. 24, 2010, SBMA entered into a JVA with HCPTI for the development, operation and management of the naval supply depot and ports in Boton, Alava, Rivera and Bravo in Subic.

Solis said HCPTI envisioned Subic to be a world-class seaport capable of handling large volumes of cargo and ships.

“That was what HCPTI had set out to do but for which we had found ourselves unjustly and unduly haled to court,” he said.

Solis said the complainants in the graft case are actually the ones who are lording it over ports in Subic for decades.

“They are the ones who had put the once glorious SBMA to its current sorry, sordid state,” Solis said.

“They are the ones against development and modernization and it seems they are hell-bent on maintaining their grip [on Subic] no matter what,” said Solis.

Solis said the process that HCPTI has gone through in its bid to modernize Subic ports has taken four years and no contract award has yet been done.

“This period plus the fact that no award has been given yet to HCPTI is substantial proof to dispel the unfounded claim that the JVA was rushed and steps in the bidding process were omitted to favor HCPTI,” he said.