Senate may scrap metro CCTV project

Sen. JV Ejercito (File photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

There’s a “big chance” the Senate may scrap funding for a China-assisted P20-billion project that would install a video surveillance system in Metro Manila and Davao City unless officials can satisfactorily answer questions about its security threats.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, sponsor of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) budget, acknowledged Sen. Ralph Recto’s concerns over the project to be operated by an affiliate of China Telecom, one of the firms in the consortium poised to become the country’s third telco player.

“Some senators will introduce amendments [to the DILG budget],” he told reporters.

“If not satisfied with documents and info submitted, [there is a] big chance it will be taken out because of national security issues,” Ejercito said.

Recto had raised concerns over security threats that might result from the project, which would install 12,000 closed-circuit television cameras in Metro Manila and Davao City.

The Senate President Pro Tempore drew attention to equipment supplier Huawei, a Chinese firm that has been blacklisted in several countries for hacking and spying.