Bayan Muna representative Carlos Isagani Zarate says the Duterte administration should exercise due diligence on clinching deals with China. (davaotoday.com file photo)
QUEZON CITY, Philippines— A party-list lawmaker has called for a serious diligence on vetting projects as the Duterte administration clinched “big ticket projects” in China.
In a statement Thursday, Bayan Muna Rep.Carlos Isagani Zarate urged to “conduct of a thorough, serious due diligence vetting on projects to be undertaken by foreign governments and corporations in the country.”
Zarate’s statement came amid reports that some projects were awarded to firms previously involved in a string of accidents in other countries or banned due to malpractices.
Some of the corrupt-laden projects, according to Zarate, were the China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC) and the China Harbour Engineering Co., Ltd., (CHEC).
Issues were also raised on the supposed under capacity or under funding of some of these companies, like the MVP Global Infrastructure Group, he added.
Zarate emphasized that all these allegations should be investigated. “These allegations should be seriously looked into as this may even undermine the administration’s development plan. These anomalous deals should be not be repeated.”
“We must be very careful so as to avoid a repeat of deals like the Northrail and NBN-ZTE during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term and the numerous MRT/LRT contracts of the Aquino administration. These deals cost taxpayers billions of pesos, yet, nothing to their benefit came out of it,” said Zarate.
The progressive solon said the government is paying the botched and corrupt-laden projects such as the Northrail and NBN-ZTE.
“The Northrail and the NBN-ZTE did not push through but we are still paying these projects,” Zarate said, adding that the dismal services of MRT and LRT, the government is paying for these projects too. (davaotoday.com)
