THE Senate is likely to review the $24-billion megadeals signed during the recent visit of President Duterte to China, amid reports some of the Chinese firms involved have been linked to anomalous projects.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs signalled on Monday senators may opt to exercise their legislative-oversight “prerogative” to look into the multibillion-dollar funding arrangements for various projects expected to be sourced from private Chinese investors and state corporations.
“Yes. The Senate can review all the agreements, the potential partners and the impact of those agreements to our economy,” Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian told the BusinessMirror, adding: “This is the prerogative of the Senate.”
In a separate interview, however, Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III pointed out that the legislative inquiry will still require the filing of a resolution, as provided in their rules.
Asked if the Senate can readily review Duterte’s multibillion-dollar megadeals with Chinese firms, Sotto, who chairs the Rules Committee, replied: “Not necessarily.”
But Sotto quickly clarified that “a Senate resolution, if filed by a member, could result in a review.” He, however, added a caveat: “That is if the Executive department is willing to cooperate.”
Among the projects listed for funding from Chinese sources are the Subic-Clark railway system, a project to be undertaken by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and China Harbour Engineering Co., and the Bonifacio Global City-Ninoy Aquino International Airport Segment of Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit-Edsa project by the BCDA and China Road and Bridge Corp. Also on the list are joint-venture agreements to fund various infrastructure projects at Sangley Point in Cavite; biomass projects in Negros; telecom projects; joint development of renewable-energy sources; steel manufacturing plants; port development; cable manufacturing facilities; Edsa bus-transport expansion; hybrid rice production and banana plantation projects; hydropower projects; and railway projects among others.
Other lawmakers from the House of Representatives, however, cautioned Duterte administration officials to make sure that safeguards installed in bidding procedures are followed, amid reports that some of the firms that signed the memorandum of understanding with the Philippine government have been “blacklisted by the World Bank for fraudulent practices.”
Gatchalian asserted there should be “no shortcuts” in the established procedures for carrying out public-works projects under Philippine laws.
Senate President Aquilino Koko Pimentel III, for his part, left the door open, saying “should there be a resolution to that effect then the Senate will do so.”