BAGUIO CITY – The Supreme Court yesterday required the government to answer the petition that challenged the constitutionality of the $62-million loan agreement forged by the Philippines with China in 2018 to finance the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
It did not issue a Temporary Restraining Order sought in the petition filed by several party-list lawmakers to stop the implementation of the loan agreement known as the Preferential Buyer’s Credit Loan Agreement on CRPIP.
In a press briefing here, the SC Public Information Office said “the SC ordered the respondents to file their comment to the petition within a period of 10 days.”
It is expected that the comment for the respondents in the petition – President Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, National Economic Development Authority head Ernesto Pernia, and Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra – would be filed by Solicitor General Jose C. Calida.
The petitioners were Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, Gabriela Reps. Emmy de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Reps. Antonio Tinio and Francisca Castro, Kabataan Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, and former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, a senatorial candidate in next month’s elections.
In their petition, the lawmakers cited several alleged constitutional infirmities in the 2018 loan agreement.
Among these, they said, were the “express waiver of sovereign immunity over the Philippines’ patrimonial assets in favor of a foreign government” and, in case of conflict, the use of a “Chinese arbitration tribunal officiated by Chinese arbitrators using Chinese laws.” (Rey Panaligan)
