PROVINCIAL Legal Officer Orvi Ortega has stepped down from his post as vice chairman of the Bids and Awards committee (BAC) following the controversy that surrounded the bidding of the Capitol’s P37-million security services contract.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III accepted Ortega’s resignation and revealed it to the media yesterday.
“I accepted his resignation but I’ve always maintained that I have full trust and confidence in him,” he told reporters.
In a letter addressed to Davide, Ortega said his resignation was necessary to protect the current administration from the “remnants of those vicious, malicious and unfounded accusations” against him.
“My conscience is clear and I would like to express my sincerest thanks to your Honor for the unqualified trust and confidence you have reposed upon me up to the present,” he said.
The resignation letter dated July 3 was forwarded to the Office of the Governor through Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, who now chairs the reorganized BAC.
Aside from his previous duties with the BAC and as provincial attorney, Ortega also served as Davide’s chief of staff.
Despite the resignation, Ortega reiterated that the bidding for the security services contract followed proper government procurement procedures and was “very transparent and above board”.
The bidding process for the Capitol’s new security provider was recently embroiled in controversy after security guards from one of the bidders, Black Pearl Security Agency, were deployed for duty even before a contract was awarded to them.
But Davide later on terminated the temporary arrangement and disqualified Black Pearl from the post-qualification bid due to the poor performance of their security personnel. A rebidding for the contract is underway.
Meanwhile, broadcaster-columnist Bobby Nalzaro said he plans to “congratulate” Ortega if he pushes through with the resignation.
“If, indeed, this is true, then I appreciate Ortega’s move. I would even congratulate him because he knows the meaning of “delicadeza”, Nalzaro wrote in his Sun.Star Superbalita column.
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