Party-list group defends critics of China loan agreement

MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Bayan Muna on Wednesday blasted Malacañang for trying to turn the tables on critics of the administration’s loan agreement with China for an irrigation project, saying it was the officials who signed the deal who should be branded as “unpatriotic” for agreeing to the “onerous” terms.

In a statement, Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares came to the defense of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, whom presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo called unpatriotic for saying the loan agreement was a one-sided deal in favor of China.

Don’t blame Carpio

“[Malacañang should not] blame Justice Carpio for exposing the loopholes. [They should] blame [themselves] for signing up even if [they] know there are loopholes and the loans are extremely disadvantageous to Philippine interests,” Colmenares said.

Panelo criticized Carpio for exposing the loopholes in the $62-million Chico River Pump Irrigation Project loan agreement, saying the justice was siding with China while making public his reservations about the deal.

Carpio earlier warned that under the loan agreement, China could take the Philippines’ gas reserves in Recto Bank, which he described as “patrimonial assets,” if the government failed to pay back the debt.

Panelo said Carpio was being unpatriotic, and seemed to be coaching the Chinese.

“There are no loopholes, but he’s providing the loopholes,” Panelo said.

On Tuesday, the Palace official said Carpio was wrong in calling the Recto Bank gas reserves patrimonial assets because there was no law that made such a declaration and that President Rodrigo Duterte had no intention of issuing a proclamation.

1972 law

Carpio came back on Wednesday, saying the Oil and Exploration Act of 1972 proclaimed the oil and gas reserves at Recto Bank patrimonial assets.

Panelo retreated, acknowledging Carpio was right. He, however, insisted that there was no problem with the loan agreement, saying: “In the event we default [on our loan] we will pay them.”

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra dismissed as “far-fetched” Carpio’s warning that China could seize the Recto Bank gas reserves if the Philippines defaulted on the loan.

“That’s just a small amount,” Guevarra told reporters, referring to the loan. “The Philippines can easily pay it.”

Carpio’s views matched the reservations earlier raised by Colmenares about the administration’s loan agreements with China.

Colmenares cited a “vaguely worded” provision in the agreements in which the Philippines would waive its immunity over its sovereign rights and could allow China to take control of its patrimonial properties.

‘Stupid’ claim

It is “stupid” for Panelo to claim that China was unaware of the loopholes in the loan agreements, as the templates were prepared by China, Colmenares said.

“We ask Malacañang: Who prepared the draft of the loan agreement, wasn’t it China? The Palace allowed China to write the agreement and like vassals, (President) Duterte and his minions simply agreed to it,” he said.

Colmenares earlier said he would question the constitutionality of the China loan agreements in the Supreme Court.

On Wednesday, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, also a senatorial candidate in May’s midterm elections, filed a resolution urging the government to disclose the terms of its loan agreements with China.

Alejano filed the measure amid growing concerns that the Philippines was falling into China’s debt trap. —With reports from  Christine O. Avendañ, DJ Yap, Dona Z. Pazzibugan and Tetch Torres-Tupas