Senators say Hanjin probe must continue

MANILA, Philippines – Two senators aim to probe allegations that South Korean firm Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. violated environmental regulations in undertaking shipyard projects in Misamis Oriental and in Subic Bay Freeport.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, Senate committee on environment and natural resources chairwoman, said she will conduct a public hearing next week to discuss Hanjin’s alleged failure to comply with requirements for the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for its 440-hectare shipyard in Misamis Oriental.

On the other hand, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said the statements being made by the parties involved, particularly in the Mindanao project, were not convincing.

Earlier, Tagoloan Mayor Paulino Emano and Villanueva Mayor Julliette Uy in Misamis Oriental executed separate affidavits denying that Hanjin had offered them bribes. 

Emano was also earlier accused of extorting money from Hanjin.

Cayetano said the hearing seeks to look into the possible environmental impact of the plan to divert some portions of the Tagoloan River to allow Hanjin to get filling materials like sand and gravel for constructing its shipyard project.

The issue of displacement and relocation of coastal community residents affected by Hanjin’s 354-hectare shipyard in Subic Bay Freeport will also be taken up, she added.

Santiago said the findings of the Department of the Interior and Local Government that there was neither extortion nor bribery in the projects of Hanjin were not conclusive.

“It does not exclude the other two branches of government from investigating the matter,” she said.

“For example, (in) the judicial branch, if a case is filed, it can simply proceed even if Malacañang has said there’s no case. And in the legislative branch we have legislative powers. We are not bound by the finding of the executive branch.

“I’ve not really studied the papers. But to me it is highly improbable that the mayor made a mistake on whether his administration has issued an ECC or not to such a major player as Hanjin, which is a very big foreign corporation.”

Santiago said she was “very puzzled,” and so she was in favor of investigating the allegations of bribery against Hanjin and its accusation of extortion.

“I don’t think a foreign company will come here and bribe people so they would not need to get an ECC,” he said.

“It’s a very big company, it would not take that much to secure an ECC. So it is not believable that they are bribing the mayor.

“The mayor is saying no bribery on my part, no extortion. I’ll cross-examine because the testimony is not logical. It is outside the natural course of human events.” – Aurea Calica, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Nikki Angulo, Ana Mae Roa