Enrile warns corrupt contractors

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile vowed yesterday that the full force of the law would be brought to bear on whoever is involved in the alleged collusion of Filipino contractors in World Bank (WB)-funded road projects in the country. The Senate is expected to conduct an investigation into reports of collusion and bid-rigging.

“Kahit kapatid pa siya ng kung sinong high at mighty (even if he is a brother of the high and mighty), they will have to answer before the Senate,” Enrile said.

He cited the case of Sen. Manuel Villar, whom he replaced as Senate President.

“Sen. Villar and I are friends, but because there was a case against him, he had to face (the investigation),” Enrile said.

“We will not judge, we will ask them (the contractors) to explain and if they have liability, we will let the law be applied,” he added.

Earlier, the WB blacklisted three Philippine firms – E.C. de Luna Construction Corp., Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp., and CM Pancho Construction Inc. – for alleged irregularities in the WB project.

Five foreign firms – China Road and Bridge Corp., China State Construction Corp. and China Wu Yi Co. Ltd., China Geo-Engineering Corp., and Korean firm Dongsung Construction Co. Ltd. – were also blacklisted by the WB.   – Dino Balabo