De Lima welcomes Senate decision to block funds for China-funded CCTV project
By AJ Siytangco
Published Jan 25, 2019 01:25 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Detained opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Friday lauded the Senate’s decision to block the funds for the multi-billion peso Chinese-funded surveillance system project of the Duterte administration, thanking her colleagues for recognizing the importance of transparency in dealing with foreign-assisted projects.
Senator Leila de Lima
(REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN) “I commend the Senate for seriously evaluating and reviewing the ‘Safe Philippines’ project and asserting that funds from the taxpayers’ money should not be used to finance it,” de Lima said in a statement. “Not only is the project lacking in transparency, it also poses serious national security concerns,” she said. The Senate has sought to block the payment for the Chinese-funded project dubbed as “Safe Philippines,” in its version of the 2019 national budget, citing the lack of a study, consultations, and validation.” The project, costing P20-billion, involves the installation of an initial 12,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) security cameras in public areas in Metro Manila and Davao City. The agreement was signed during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in the country last November 2018, between the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and China International Telecommunication Construction Corporation (CITCC). Under the contract, the Chinese multinational telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics company Huawei—whose integrity was questioned by countries such as Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia—will be tasked to supply the equipment requirements of the project. “By blocking this Chinese-funding project, the government is protecting the Philippine economy and the country’s national security, while respecting the privacy of the Filipino public which could be threatened by the installation of these CCTV security cameras,” the senator said. De Lima had earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 978, which seeks a Senate inquiry into the said loan deal between the DILG and the CITCC to find out if the surveillance camera project violates the right to privacy of the citizenry. In filing the said resolution, De Lima said that granting China, a country fast gaining international notoriety for its aggressive espionage activities, “the opportunity to create a surveillance system in our country should raise a red flag for our policymakers.”
Senator Leila de Lima(REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN) “I commend the Senate for seriously evaluating and reviewing the ‘Safe Philippines’ project and asserting that funds from the taxpayers’ money should not be used to finance it,” de Lima said in a statement. “Not only is the project lacking in transparency, it also poses serious national security concerns,” she said. The Senate has sought to block the payment for the Chinese-funded project dubbed as “Safe Philippines,” in its version of the 2019 national budget, citing the lack of a study, consultations, and validation.” The project, costing P20-billion, involves the installation of an initial 12,000 closed-circuit television (CCTV) security cameras in public areas in Metro Manila and Davao City. The agreement was signed during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in the country last November 2018, between the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and China International Telecommunication Construction Corporation (CITCC). Under the contract, the Chinese multinational telecommunication equipment and consumer electronics company Huawei—whose integrity was questioned by countries such as Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia—will be tasked to supply the equipment requirements of the project. “By blocking this Chinese-funding project, the government is protecting the Philippine economy and the country’s national security, while respecting the privacy of the Filipino public which could be threatened by the installation of these CCTV security cameras,” the senator said. De Lima had earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 978, which seeks a Senate inquiry into the said loan deal between the DILG and the CITCC to find out if the surveillance camera project violates the right to privacy of the citizenry. In filing the said resolution, De Lima said that granting China, a country fast gaining international notoriety for its aggressive espionage activities, “the opportunity to create a surveillance system in our country should raise a red flag for our policymakers.”