‘No need for Army to take over dam project

Malacañang said yesterday there is no need for the government to resort to using Army engineering units to complete the long-delayed P3.4-billion Malitubog-Maridagao (Mal-Mar) irrigation project in North Cotabato following the killing of a Chinese engineer supervising the venture by his kidnappers.

National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said the security situation in the Maguindanao and Cotabato provinces is expected to improve with troops deployed there to run after the kidnappers and other lawless elements.

"(The use of Army engineering brigades) can be considered but I think there is a contract," Golez said.

He referred to an agreement between the China Import and Export Technologies Inc. (Citech) and the Philippine government to continue the Japanese-funded irrigation project.

"There was a suspension (of the project) because of the review of the security situation in the area. But I’m very confident that its implementation will resume very soon," he said.

Local authorities have called on Malacañang to allow Army engineering units to take over the project to hasten its completion. — Paolo Romero