Puno forms task force to probe Hanjin project pullout

MANILA, Philippines – Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno ordered yesterday the creation of a task force to investigate charges and counter-charges of extortion and bribery in connection with the proposed construction of a $2-billion shipyard by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. in Mindanao.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, meanwhile, criticized the South Korean-based investor for allegedly offering a P400-million contract to a municipal mayor in Misamis Oriental in exchange for a reversal of his order stopping the project after it failed to secure the necessary permits.

Puno also directed Task Force TAGOVILL headed by Director Jefferson Soriano, chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to investigate the assault of a Hanjin company driver in Misamis Oriental allegedly by men connected with the office of the mayor of Tagaloan town in the province.

The DILG chief said President Arroyo ordered an immediate investigation of the incidents after expressing deep concern over the possibility that these could seriously hurt national efforts at investment promotion and job creation.

Hanjin executives had accused local government officials of extortion while Tagaloan Mayor Paulino Emano countered that the investors offered P400 million to allow them to continue their operation of the ship-building facility in the town.

“The President, who was furious over these charges of extortion, said nobody should be spared in this investigation,” Puno said. “The conflicting statements of the mayors and Hanjin officials on the charges of bribery and extortion are puzzling, to say the least.”

During a press conference, Puno said it was strange that the bribery charges came after the weekend incident involving the assault on a Hanjin employee by men allegedly identified with one of the mayors.

“It does not make sense for a group that claims to have been bribed to respond by ordering the attack on a company driver of the alleged briber,” he said. “We are taking this seriously because it involves a large investment from a foreign company and local government officials. The cancellation of the project is a severe blow in the country’s interest in creating more jobs.”

The DILG chief said Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel will go to Misamis Oriental to gather factual evidence on the issue.

Puno said Hanjin had in fact started working on the project by clearing the eight-hectare project site, but the activity has since been halted. “Hanjin had stopped the project and right now, they are not inclined to continue with it,” he said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. has ordered the administrative relief of the local chiefs of police in the towns of Tagaloan and Villanueva pending the conduct of the investigation by the task force to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

At the same time, Puno said the PNP will also conduct a separate investigation into the alleged involvement of CIDG personnel in the incident involving retired Gen. Jovito Palparan at a mining company in Masinloc, Zambales.

Razon also ordered the administrative relief of the chief of police of Tagaloan, Chief Inspector Claudio Mariquit; and the chief of police of Villanueva, Senior Inspector Nannette Odchigue, to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. A team from the Regional Mobile Group of Region 10 was deployed to secure the Hanjin facility and prevent further untoward incidents.

Emano earlier issued an order for Hanjin to cease operations after the company failed to present an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and a municipal building permit.

Hanjin officials, on the other hand, thru a letter-complaint filed before the office of Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno, said one of its representatives was manhandled and roughed up by persons, one of whom was later identified as a municipal employee from the office of Mayor Emano.

In the same letter, the Korean firm also complained of alleged harassment of its employees by municipal officials. – Aurea Calica, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Nikki Angulo, Ana Mae Roa