Congress probe body ready to tackle Hanjin incident

May 1, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

Committee on Good Government and Ethical Standards Camiguin Cong. Pedro Romualdo said he is ready to conduct a full blown investigation on the recent Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp.’s (Hanjin) withdrawal of its planned US $2 billion shipyard from Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

He issued this announcement as he disclosed how it was the series of acts from a certain local government unit (LGU) that “turned-off” Hanjin from pushing through with the project.

“What I reliably know is that the problem is the mayor,” he told Gold Star Mindanao Daily yesterday.

The Hanjin shipyard project would have generated some 40,000 jobs here. It is expected to improve economic activity not just in the region but the entire country.

Romualdo who served for three terms as provincial governor of Camiguin explained that the investigation would be in aide of legislation considering that the Local Government Code might have just has given too much power to mayors and local public officials.

He explained that the process of devolution of what were supposed to be national powers to be now exercised by LGUs should be reviewed to make sure that there would be no repeat of the Hanjin pull-out.

“Local government units should not be an obstacle for progress and not for something else…tanawon nato kung too much devolution of powers might now be dangerous,” he said.

However, Romualdo said the rules of the House of Representatives bar any congressional committee does not have moto propio powers and cannot just start off an investigation without proper basis from which it can then follow both the paper and people trail.

He said this can come in various forms such as a privilege speech of a congressman, a resolution from the provincial/municipal/city council involved or a letter complaint from an individual or group regarding a particular controversy.

However, sources disclosed that this congressional investigation was among the suggestions discussed during Arroyo’s as part of “damage control.”

They said a number of other foreign investors who poured huge investments in the country or had planned to but later backed-off when local officials give them a hard time.

“The Hanjin situation is undeniably sending the wrong message to potential investors that Maam is working so hard to bring to our country,” reads one of sources’ text messages sent to this paper.

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