(Eagle News) — Leftists on Thursday, May 9, urged the Supreme Court to put a stop to the enforcement of the Philippines’ Kaliwa Dam loan agreement with China.
In filing the petition for prohibition with an urgent prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction, Neri Colmenares, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, Gabriela Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago, among others, noted what they said was the “substandard work” characterized by “fraud” of China’s contractors.
For instance, they said the Coca Codo Sinclair Hydroelectric Plant that was built by the SinoHydro Corp. in Ecuador and inaugurated in November 2016 was found to have 7600 cracks “in the eight distributors that inject water into turbines,” while a wall near the diversion tunnel’s intake that was part of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project constructed by a Chinese consortium in Pakistan collapsed in 2014, killing four workers including a Chinese engineer.
The group also noted, among others, that China Harbour Engineering Company, which was contracted by Guinea’s government for the construction of docks in the port in West Africa, has been “debarred” by the World Bank since 2009 for “committing fraud and corruption,” and the China State Construction Engineering Corp. and China Geo Engineering Corp. which it said was “poised to win a P17.2-billion contract to rehabilitate the former battle area in Marawi” were “once blacklisted by the World Bank over “corrupt practices in the Philippines.”
Named as respondents in the petition were President Rodrigo Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System administrator Reynaldo Velasco, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel Elpidio Vega and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
The P18.724-billion Kaliwa Dam project aims to develop a new water source to ensure that Metro Manila’s demand for water is met.
