Duterte told to be wary of ‘tainted’ Chinese firms that bagged PHL deals

Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque Jr. on Wednesday warned President Rodrigo Duterte about three "tainted" Chinese firms that bagged infrastructure projects in the Philippines as a result of President Rodrigo Duterte's state visit to Beijing last week.

Roque said one of the companies, China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC), was involved in bid0rigging according to the World Bank, while another one, CCCC Dredging, was reportedly responsible for building artificial islands in disputed territories in the South China Sea.

"I am not saying they should be barred. But they have tainted records. So we should be wary and make sure none of those companies break our laws here," said Roque in a media briefing at the House of Representatives.

The third company is China CAMC Engineering, an affiliate of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH), the contractor of the anomalous North Rail project.

"I have ruling that the North Rail contract is not a treaty. It is a commercial transaction and therefore, government procurement law applies to it," said Roque.

Roque, who was among the Philippine contingent that went with Duterte to China, said these firms should respect Philippine laws and comply with the government procurement law or the Public-Private Partnership law.

Roque said CCCC Dredging currently has "no bad record" but was allegedly involved in building artificial islands in the South China Sea, which involved excavating land in the Philippines and dumping it at sea for reclamation activities.

"I am going to find out if CCCC was engaged in that then I am going to accuse them of wrongdoing," said Roque, adding that such activities were a "breach of environmental laws."

In August, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. confirmed before the Senate that black sand was being taken from Philippine territory and used for reclamation activities in contested territories on the West Philippine Sea. —NB, GMA News