Losing bidder’s complaint prospers

CEBU – CAPITOL officials and 11 suppliers of medical supplies were ordered to answer the petition filed by a losing bidder relative to the purchase of medical supplies and equipment for various district hospitals in the Province.

Regional Trial Court Judge Gilbert Moises gave the respondents 10 days to file their answer to the petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus filed by Manila-based Endure Medical Inc. (EMI) against Gov. Hilario Davide III, the Capitol’s bids and awards committee (BAC), and 11 other medical suppliers before the Regional Trial Court.

Moises, also the Cebu City RTC executive judge, ordered the respondents to submit their answer after finding the petition “to be sufficient in form and substance.”

In August, EMI, the only losing bidder, asked the court to nullify Capitol’s decision declaring them as ineligible to join the bidding for the purchase of medical supplies and equipment for various district hospitals.

Apart from Davide, also named respondents were Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino, the BAC chair; Alma Sibonga, BAC vice-chairman; BAC members Hector Jamora, Jone Siegfred Sepe, and Melita Labarejos; and provincial lawyers Orvi Ortega and Donato Villa, Jr.

The private respondents are Berovan Marketing, Inc., Blue Sky Trading, Cebu Far Eastern Drugs, Inc., RG Meditron, Inc., Colonie Enterprises, D&C Drugstore and Gen. Merchandise, Euro-Med Lab Phils., J-Khezznov Trading Industries, Inc., Metro Drug, Inc., Pharmaceutica Filipina de Visayas and Zuellig Pharma-Cebu.