Malacañang, OK sa infra probe

Nakahanda ang administrasyong Duterte na makipagtulungan sa planong imbestigasyon ng Senado sa dalawang malalaking infrastructure projects upang patunayan na nasa ayos ang mga planong konstruksiyon nito.

Gayunman, umaasa si Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo na ang panukala ni Senador Leila de Lima ay gagawin para makatulong sa paggawa ng batas, at hindi bahagi ng anumang political grandstanding para siraan si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

“We expect our relevant heads to attend the hearing, if and when they are called as resource persons, not only as a courtesy to a co-equal branch of the government but also to inform the public that these projects are definitely in order,” ani Panelo.

“We only hope that this inquiry initiated by the lady senator is truly in aid of legislation and not for political grandstanding purposes only, as she has the habit of doing,” aniya pa.

Naghain si De Lima ng Senate Resolution 927 na nananawagan ng imbestigasyon sa Build-BuildBuild projects ng administrasyon, partikular sa konstruksiyon ng P23 bilyon North Luzon ExpresswaySouth Luzon Expressway Connector Road Project at ng P171B North-South Commuter Railway Project. Iniulat na ang infrastructure projects ay maaaring magresulta sa demolisyon ng ilang pamayanan at mawawalan ng tirahan ang 180,000 pamilya sa Metro Manila.

“Mega-infrastructure projects such as these rarely, if at all, mention the social costs of these endeavors, particularly the physical and economic displacement of thousands of people just to give way for their construction in Metro Manila’s densely populated areas,” ani De Lima.

Ipinagtanggol ni Panelo ang infrastructure projects ng gobyerno sa harap ng napipintong imbestigasyon sa Kongreso. Idiniin niya na isinaalang-alang ang epekto ng dalawang proyektong ito sa mga apektadong komunidad.

“Feasibility studies have been conducted, including the general impact on the economy and the living conditions of affected residents, prior to the approval of the construction of the these projects as standard procedure,” aniya.