THE Megawide-GMR Consortium yesterday refuted allegations of conflict of interest and dismissed Filinvest-CAI consortium’s complaint as another effort to undermine the bid process for the P17.5 billion Mactan Cebu airport project.
“With respect to the allegations of conflict of interest, we would like to highlight our belief that these are mischievous in nature, and these are clearly aimed at unduly influencing the outcome of the bidding process and pre-empting the post-qualification process being conducted by DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) at present,” said Manish Kalghatgi, the group head of corporate communications of India’s GMR Infrastructure Ltd. In a press briefing at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino yesterday.
Megawide – GMR consortium has provided detailed clarifications and documentations to PBAC already on this issue, assured Louie Ferrer, Megawide Construction Corp.’s chief managingoOfficer.
“Megawide – GMR consortium believes that this is yet another attempt by the Filinvest – CAI consortium to exert undue influence on PBAC and seek our disqualification after we emerged as the highest bidder for the Mactan – Cebu Airport project,” Ferrer said.
Filinvest earlier claimed Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad, a director of Delhi International Airport Pvt. Ltd. and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd , which are both affiliates of GMR Infrastructure, is also a managing director of MAHB, which is a partner company of another bidder.
But Ferrer said the presence of Tan Sri Bashir on the Boards of our four airport subsidiaries is not in violation of any of the PBAC rules governing the bid process.
The DOTC is delaying the awarding of the project and is investigating the issue.