Drilon to gov’t: Cancel Sangley airport deal with blacklisted Chinese firm

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday pressed the government to immediately break off its contract with Chinese firm Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC) in the construction of the Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite, saying the company has a “history of fraud and corruption.”

“I urge for the immediate cancellation of the contract [CCCC] to build Sangley airport on the account of its questionable reputation. CCCC has a history of fraud and corruption,” Drilon said in a statement.

“We cannot just brush it aside. We cannot turn a blind eye on this,” he added.

CCCC was among the Chinese firms blacklisted by the US government for their alleged role in Beijing’s militarization of the South China Sea, Drilon further noted.

It was also blacklisted by the World Bank, he added.

The minority leader said that in 2011, the World Bank announced the debarment of CCCC and all its subsidiaries for fraudulent practices under Phase 1 of the Philippines National Roads Improvement and Management Project.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. has initially said he would “strongly” recommend the termination of contracts with Chinese firms involved in the construction of artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea.

Malacañang, however, said President Rodrigo Duterte had already decided to push through with the project despite the move of the United States to impose sanctions against Chinese companies involved in China’s reclamation activities in the disputed waters.

But Drilon said it is not yet too late for the government to cancel the contract with the Chinese firm.

“Given the dubious track record of CCCC, the only logical move here is to cancel the contract – no ifs and buts. A lucrative project such as the Sangley cannot be awarded to a company with such a bad track record,” the senator said.

The government’s anti-corruption stance will be questioned if it awards the lucrative contract to a firm with a a tainted history,

“There are hundreds of companies with credible and outstanding track records in airport construction,” Drilon said. “What standards did they follow when they awarded the contract to CCCC? Shouldn’t they consider the allegations against CCCC before the contract was awarded?”

EDV