Contracts of Pagcor city illegal (3:54 p.m.)

MANILA -- The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has apparently awarded contracts to four locators to develop the $5 billion Pagcor City without public bidding.

Representative Ben Evardone (lone district, Eastern Samar) said no less than Pagcor chair Cristino "Bong" Naguiat Jr. had admitted during the hearing of the House committee on games and amusements Monday that the project has been awarded to local and foreign developers without the benefit of public bidding.

Naguiat identified the major contractors as Travellers International Hotel Group, SM Consortium, Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment, Inc., and Bloombury Investment Holdings.

“If there was no public bidding in violation of the Procurement Law, no Swiss challenge whatsoever, the awarding of those contracts must have been illegal," Evardone said. A Swiss Challenge is an internationally-accepted scheme wherein a project proposal is being open to counter proposals to enable the government to secure the most favorable terms. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)