Lina hit for scrapping Customs modernization contract

CUSTOMS Commissioner Alberto D. Lina has been accused of serious conflict of interest for canceling a successfully bidded out P650-million contract for the setting up of a modem integrated customs processing system.

The integrated system, along with a national single window, is seen as the long-sought after solution to rampant smuggling in the Philippines. It establishes a central database system that tracks in real time all customs procedures nationwide. It aims to be a fully electronic, paperless and human contact-free system of recording and monitoring customs transactions.

Meanwhile, the national single window consolidates relevant services from all government agencies involved in customs procedures using international standards.

At a press conference, lawyer Harry Roque said one of the five losing bidders, E-Konek, is connected to Lina where he has 96.48 stake while Webb Fontaine where the Bureau of Customs has a contract has beneficial business relations with E-Konek.

Roque is the counsel of the winning bidder Omniprime Marketing Inc. He said the bidding for the joint venture took seven months.

However, when Lina took over from John Sevilla, he canceled the contract.

“This reeks of the foul smell of a clear conflict of interest,” Roque said.

But Lina denied the allegation.

“We deny the baseless claims that EKONEK’s losing bid for i-EPCS was the reason for procurement cancelation. To stamp out any lingering doubts that this is the case, EKONEK will not participate in any further bid for this project, given my public commitment that there will be no conflict of interest during my stint at the Bureau of Customs,” Lina said in a statement. AC