Senator Aquilino Pimentel lll warned there could be further delay in the making and delivery of the national IDs after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) terminated its contract with its supplier.
“This should be investigated by the Senate,” Pimentel said on Friday.
Citing its failure to fulfill and perform the services under the deal, the BSP said it ended its contract with its supplier of cards and equipment for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or the National ID project.
Pimentel said his office is already preparing a resolution which seeks to conduct a Senate investigation on the matter.
Former Senator Panfilo Lacson said the issue should not end with a simple termination of contract.
“Following proper legal procedures, sanctions with commensurate damages must be imposed,” added Lacson, author and principal sponsor in the Senate of the National ID law.
He pointed out the “unacceptable failure” to fully implement the measure six years after its passage.
Earlier, BSP Governor Eli Remolona said they have decided to terminate the old contract because the contractor for these IDs had not been able to deliver.
He also disclosed they are negotiating for damages and at the same time looking for a new vendor for this contract.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Senate to launch probe on national ID supplier failure to fulfill deal.”
