MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to issue a directive on the supposed Chinese control of the country’s power grid as he is still waiting for the assessment of his top security officials, Malacañang said Thursday.
Several lawmakers have called for an urgent review of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) arrangement amid reports that only Chinese engineers had access to key elements of the power grid’s system, and that power it could be shut down remotely on China’s orders.
The NGCP, founded in 2009 through the Republic Act 9511, is in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the Philippines’ state-owned power grid. It is a consortium of three corporations, namely, Monte Oro Grid Resources Corporation, Calaca High Power Corporation, and the State Grid Corporation of China.
The state-owned electric utility monopoly of China reportedly has a 40-percent stake in the NGCP.
Asked if Duterte has already ordered an investigation on the issue, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said: “Wala pa.” (None so far)
“Syempre papakinggan niya muna ‘yung security officials niya. Security matter ‘yun e.” (Of course he will hear his security officials first. That’s a security matter.)
Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio earlier said China’s control over the country’s power grid “should be a cause for concern.”
The national grid operator, meanwhile, has already allayed fears of the possible sabotage.
“Any insinuation that NGCP allows non-Filipinos to operate, control or sabotage its operations, to the detriment of the Filipino people, is speculative, baseless, completely manufactured and libelous,” said Cynthia Perez-Alabanza, the company’s corporate communications head.