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MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Wednesday assured it is ready to comment on a petition seeking to nullify the Chico River Pump Irrigation deal between the Philippines and China.
In a report on UNTV News and Rescue’s Ito Ang Balita by Mai Bermudez, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace respects the order of the Supreme Court (SC) and that “it will respond properly.”
Panelo also stressed during a Palace press briefing that the P62-million loan agreement is constitutional.
“The loan agreement has passed through many channels. There has been many reviews, evaluations. We feel that it is not in violation of the Constitution as alleged by the petitioner,” he said.
On Wednesday, the SC, through the Office of the Solicitor General, urged the government to comment on the petition seeking to temporarily stop the implementation and nullify the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project.
“The Supreme Court ordered the respondents to file their comment to the petition within a period of 10 days,” SC Spokesman Brian Hosaka announced in a press briefing in Baguio City on Wednesday.
Ordered to comment on the petition were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, National Economic Development Authority Chief Ernesto Pernia, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and National Irrigation Administrator Ricardo Visaya.
The House Makabayan bloc filed the petition on April 4, asking the high court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the project due to “onerous” contract provisions.
The petitioners, led by Senatorial aspirant Neri Colmenares, said the loan agreement for the China-funded project has onerous provisions including a confidentiality clause that violates the public’s constitutional right to information on foreign loans taken out by the government; after-the-fact approval by the Monetary Board, and Requirement that the contactor be a Chinese company.
The said deal was also criticized for its supposed disadvantageous terms, including possibly giving up gas resources in the Reed bank as collateral for the loan.
Meanwhile, the petitioners welcomed the SC’s order.
“We thank the High Court for giving due course to our petition. By ordering Pres. Duterte and other respondents to comment, the Court recognizes the gravity of the issues we raised,” Colmenares said in a statement.
He also hopes that the high court will eventually issue a TRO against the loan agreement.
“We still hope that the Court issues a temporary restraining order or an injunction to prevent the government and China from enforcing the loan agreement,” he said. – Robie de Guzman
The post Gov’t to respond to petition vs China-funded Chico river project appeared first on UNTV News.
