日: 2020年1月10日

Duterte threatens to bar Consunji’s DMCI operation

/ Manila Shimbun

President Rodrigo Duterte warned on Friday not to renew anymore the permit of property developer DMCI if it would not address the complaints of its customers whose pieces of property were damaged by the recent earthquakes in Davao City.

Duterte issued the warning also after Isidro Consunji, chairman of DMCI Holdings, made a statement against Duterte’s continued attacks on two Metro Manila water concessionaires, including Maynilad Water Services wherein DMCI has about 25 percent stake.

“The problem now here in the Philippines are these rich people, like Consunji,” he said in a speech in Cotabato, citing the case of DMCI-owned condominium Ecoland 4000 that collapsed following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao, including Davao City, last October.

He said DMCI has four condominium buildings in Davao City and one of them collapsed.

“There are so many buildings in Davao, it’s only his (Consunji’s buildings which) incurred huge cracks, not just hairline (cracks), they really opened,” he said.

He accused DMCI of giving its customers a hard time.

In an interview by ABS-CBN News on Thursday, Duterte said, “You know if you do not come to terms with the people that you prejudice, I will not allow you to even construct (a) building not even a post because I will question the integrity of your company.”

“I remember that the other day or yesterday, ah the other day, there was this meeting between Mr. Consuji and the group representing the owners of the condominium, and you were as almost arrogant. Do not do that. You will not only lose your funds but your business. Believe me, I will question every… I have ordered an audit of all the buildings and all the violations you have committed,” he said.

In a speech in Cotabato, he again repeated the warning as he recalled an earlier report about Consunji’s remarks on his attacks on water concessionaires.

“The other day he (Consunji) talked about the water concession, I said you are the one who has the problem,” Duterte said.

Consunji earlier wondered why Duterte resumed his threat against Maynilad and Manila Water Services, Inc. considering that last year the two water firms have expressed their willingness to review the contracts, which allegedly contain “onerous” provisions.

“If you are a builder, whether you are a Consunji or not, if I get irritated with you, I will not grant you any permit to dig. I will audit all of your (projects),” Duterte said.

“That’s why those who have problems in the Philippines under my time are those wealthy people who have no shame,” he said.

Duterte has also been opposing the renewal of franchise of the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN broadcast network. Celerina Monte/DMS

Tugade welcomes Japan House of Councillors delegation

/ Manila Shimbun

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade welcomed the Parliamentary Delegation of the House of Councillors of the Diet Friday.

The meeting with the delegation, headed by House of Councillors Member Iwai Shigeki, with Koyari Takashi, Koga Yukihito, Wakamatsu Kaneshige, Chief Researcher Hiromatsu Akihiko, and Assistant Director Kondo Tomoya, centered on discussions of the ongoing and future railway projects under Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The delegation was accompanied by the Embassy of Japan, represented by Minister of Japan Nakata Masahiro, First Secretary Shigeru Hori, as well as members from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Chief Representative Yoshio Wada and Senior Representative Kiyo Kawabuchi.

During the meeting, the Japan delegation expounded their desire to accord assistance and help to accelerate the railway projects which are ongoing, such as the MRT-3 rehabilitation, as one of the solutions to ease the traffic in the metro.

With this, Tugade reiterated two things of which the Japan government can possibly help: (1) to further advance the rehabilitation and maintenance of the MRT-3, and (2) to accelerate the use of the Dalian trains.

Tugade underscored the importance of adopting Land Value Capture for completing more infrastructure projects.

“We are pushing for the acceptance and adoption of Land Value Capture in the evaluation of infrastructure projects. With this concept, we can build more infrastructure and we can assure the return of investment on a faster basis,” Tugade said.

The importance of acquiring land and resolving right-of-way issues for projects were also discussed by the transportation chief. He also pointed out the significance of working towards the full completion of the project as well as Partial Operability.

Further, Tugade announced that Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is donating by way of grant, around 30 units of simulators to be used for the Philippine Railways Institute).

“With the relationship between the Japanese and Philippine governments, with the help of JICA, various projects in the country are now moving fast and sure. And I am sure, that after this meeting, it will become faster and more sure,” said Tugade.

After the meeting, Tugade, together with DOTr officials, led the Japan delegation in an ocular inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance of MRT-3.

Other officials present in the meeting were DOTr Usec. for Finance Garry de Guzman, Usec. for Railways Timothy John Batan, Asec. for Procurement and Project Implementation Giovanni Lopez, PNR General Manager Junn Magno, and MRT-3 General Manager Rodolfo Garcia. DMS

Authorities arrest second Ampatuan massacre suspect

/ Manila Shimbun

Gambayan Kasim, also known as Lori Alip, was arrested on Thursday January in his home at Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao, authorities said.

He is the second fugitive to fall into the hands of the authorities in three days in connection with the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre. Seventy-eight suspects are being pursued by the authorities.

Kasim’s arrest happened just three days after Faisal Dimaukom, the first suspect, was nabbed by a composite team led by Lt. Col. Ibrahim Jambiran, chief of the Parang Municipal Police at Brgy. Kabinge, Maguindanao at 5:05 am on January 6.

His arrest was effected through a warrant issued by Branch 221 Presiding Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City under Criminal Case No. GL-Q-12-178638.

Just like Dimaukom, a hand grenade was also seized from Kasim as he was arrested, but his companion, Edsrail Guiomla, was killed in the police encounter after he allegedly fired at the arresting officers.

Kasim is in under police custody.

“We are counting down to the eventual capture of all those involved in this gruesome episode in our history. As I’ve said before, it’s not going to be easy, but we will be relentless in pursuing them, ” said Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Martin Andanar. DMS

PSE index finishes lower

/ Manila Shimbun

The Philippines’ main stock index ended lower while the peso ended flat against the US dollar on Friday.

The peso ended at P50.66 from Thursday’s P 50.651. Volume at the foreign exchange portal of the Bankers Association of the Philippines reached $1.152 billion from $1.582 billion on the previous day.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index settled at 7,776.77 points, down 20.87 points. In the broader market, there were 101 gainers, 89 losers and 47 unchanged.

Volume reached 1.11 billion shares worth P6.8 billion from Thursday’s 843.96 million valued at P5.56 billion.

Most active shares were led by SM Investment Corp., up P7.00 to P1,079; SM Prime, unchanged at P42; Ayala Land, down 65 centavos to P44.35 and GT Capital, down P24 to P795. DMS

FDI records higher net inflows for October 2019: BSP

/ Manila Shimbun

Foreign direct investments (FDI) net inflows grew by 33.7 percent to $672 million in October 2019 from the $502 million recorded during the same period in 2018, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ( BSP) said Friday.

This was mainly on account of the expansion in non-residents’ net investments in debt instruments issued by local affiliates (intercompany borrowings) by 60 percent to $534 million (from $334 million in 2018).

Meanwhile, net inflows of equity capital slowed down to $58 million (from $98 million in October 2018), following the decline in equity capital placements (to $80 million from $112 million) coupled with the increase in withdrawals (to $22 million from $14 million).

Equity capital infusions during the month came mostly from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Placements during the period were invested largely in 1) real estate, 2) financial and insurance, and 3) manufacturing industries. Reinvestment of earnings amounted to $79 million, 12.7 percent higher than the $71 million recorded in October 2018.

For the period January-October 2019, FDI net inflows reached $5.8 billion. This, however, was lower by 32.8 percent from the $8.6 billion posted in the same period in 2018.

The lower FDI net inflows reflect subdued investor sentiment due to the continued sluggish global economic activity.

Net investments in debt instruments decreased by 27.3 percent to $4.3 billion from the $5.9 billion during the same period in 2018.

Likewise, net equity capital investments dropped by 65.4 percent as placements fell by 44.9 percent to $1.3 billion and withdrawals rose by 58.8 percent to $629 million.

The top country sources of equity capital placements during the period were Japan, the United States, Singapore, China, and South Korea.

These were channeled mainly to 1) financial and insurance, 2) real estate, and 3) manufacturing industries. Reinvestment of earnings rose by 12.5 percent to $825 million during the period. DMS