Sen. Grace Poe answers queries from colleagues during a plenary session Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Screen grab/Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe on Friday scolded the Department of Transportation (DOTr) over its failure to raise the red flag on the “blacklisted” Chinese firm involved in the P500-billion Sangley Point International Airport project.
During the Senate hearing on the proposed P143.1-billion budget of the DOTr for 2021, Poe quizzed transport officials over the said airport project, which is a joint venture of business tycoon Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp. and China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC).
The senator pointed out that not only was CCCC blacklisted by the World Bank in 2009 for alleged fraudulent practices, it is also among Chinese firms blacklisted by the US for “illegal reclamation activities” in the South China Sea.
China has been pushing for its expansive claims in the South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippine Sea.
“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ba yung ating kasunduan dito sa CCCC na ‘to? Na banned na tapos reclamation pa sa West Philippine Sea. Kalaban natin to,” Poe asked.
(Was our dealing with the CCCC still remains standing? It was banned and then it is involved in reclamation of the West Philippine Sea. They’re not with us.)
In response, DOTr Assistant Secretary Giovanni Lopez said that the Sangley project earlier handled by the DOTr is different from the one involving CCCC.
He said that the project involving the Chinese firm seeks to expand and upgrade the existing Sangley airport, which was funded by the DOTr and constructed by a Filipino contractor.
According to Lopez, the provincial government is allowed to undertake its own bidding for a project.
“Kinikilala rin po kasi ng ating batas ang kapangyarihan ng local government po na sumali at saka magkaroon ng ganitong proyekto,” he said.
(Our laws also recognizes the power of the local government to join and to have this kind of project.)
Still, Poe insisted that the DOTr should have at least sounded the alarm over the Chinese firm.
If the DOTr can look into which bus routes approve or not, it should also be involved in scrutinizing contractors for national projects, the senator pointed out.
“Department of Transportation kayo e. Mga pinapagawa na ruta nga ng mga bus, kayo pa rin yung ano niyan. National project itong Sangley…You should have a say on that…vetting kung sino yung mga ka-partners nila kung talagang merong capability or merong tamang reputation,” she said.
(You are the Department of Transportation. Even small projects like the bus routes, you are in charge of that, and this Sangley project is a national project… You should have a say on that… vetting on who are the partners, if they have the capability or have the good reputation.)
“Even if you don’t have the power to object, you can definitely raise your concerns,” she added.
The senator asked the DOTr to submit its opinion to the Senate regarding the said project.
“Please submit to us your opinion on the matter with the local government dealing with this Chinese firm that’s doing reclamation in the contested areas that is ours,” she said.
“When it comes to national security, I’m little worried and I’m sure [DOTr] Secretary [Arthur] Tugade feels the same way that our sovereignty should not be compromised and, especially, wag tayong lokohin ng dayuhan [Let us not be fooled by foreigners],” Poe added.