MANILA — The two blacklisted Chinese contractors that are part of a consortium tapped to rehabilitate Marawi City are being monitored by government, Malacañang said on Thursday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made this assurance following reports that the two Chinese firms have been blacklisted by the World Bank (WB) in 2009 due to corrupt practices.
These firms are China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and China Geo Engineering Corporation (CGC).
“Mamasdan din po natin, magmamasid tayo, magbabantay ang taong bayan (We will observe them, the people will watch over them),” Roque said in a press briefing in Marawi City.
Roque, meanwhile, said that he has yet to ask Duterte for his reaction on the reported blacklisting of the two Chinese firms.
“Hindi po namin napag-usapan ‘yan (We have not discussed that) but I will bring this up to his attention. Pero hindi po niya alam yung detalye (But he doesn’t know the details yet),” Roque said.
According to Roque, the CSCEC and CGC were already punished by the World Bank and they were given a second chance.
“Naparusahan naman po sila ng World Bank. Siguro everyone is entitled to second opportunity pero mamasdan din po natin (They were already punished by the World Bank. Perhaps everyone is entitled to second opportunity but we will still observe them),” he added.
Roque earlier said that the two firms were not disqualified to participate in any government-led project.
He, however, said that he will bring to the attention of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) the issue of the blacklisted Chinese firms.
“I will call their attention to this fact and we will ask for their comments,” Roque said.
The two Chinese firms were blacklisted after an investigation showed that the two companies engaged in collusive bidding schemes for WB-funded road projects in the Philippines in 2009.
Aside from the CSCEC and CGC, three other Chinese firms and four Filipino partners are members of the consortium that was selected to rebuild the 250-hectare most affected area of war-torn Marawi City.
Other members of the Bangon Marawi Consortium include Anhui Huali Construction Group Co. Ltd., TBEA Co. Ltd, and Shandong Jinyuan Homes Industry Development Co. Ltd from China; and, Future Homes Philippines Inc., A Brown Company, Inc., H.S. Pow Construction and Development, and SDW Realty & Development, Inc. from the Philippines. (PNA)
