THE Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Cebu City Government denied that only one person owns the three firms that are participating in the bidding of 21 new garbage compactor trucks worth P232.5 million. Ronald Malacora, head of Cebu City’s Department of General Services (DGS) and BAC chairman, said there is no truth to rumors that Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president and Barangay Kasambagan chief Franklyn Ong owns the three firms that are interested to bid for the new garbage trucks. The three firms interested to bid for the contract are RDAK Transport Equipment Inc., Hyundai, and Hino Motors. Malacora said RDAK, which is based in Cebu, is owned by businessman Ricaredo Delfin Abellanosa King. While based in Cebu, Hyundai is headed by representatives from its Manila office. Hino Motors is also based in Manila. “I know who owns RDAK. I don’t know if he (Ong) has a stake in the company, but I know that RDAK and Pamocor, which he owns, are competitors. And now they are running as one company?” Malacora said, in Cebuano. Malacora encouraged those interested to go to the Securities and Exchange Commission to check on the three firms’ registration and determine who owns them. The bidding proper will be conducted on Jan. 22 at the Cebu City Hall. (PAC OF SUPERBALITA CEBU, JKV)