Investors are welcome in PH, but don’t talk to me – Duterte

Prospective investors are welcome to do business in the country, but they won’t necessarily get a warm reception in Malacañang.

Wary of oligarchs and other influence peddlers, President Duterte said he has refused to meet businessmen in the Palace, saying there was “no need” to personally inform him about their investment plans.

Instead, these businessmen should just go directly to the concerned Cabinet member about their plans and must follow the country’s laws, according to the President.

“I’m sorry. To companies from Europe and others that want to go to Malacañang, no no no. You want to talk about what?” the President said in Filipino during a televised public address in Davao City.

“I told (Special Assistant Christopher) Bong (Go) that they should go directly to the Cabinet. I don’t want to talk to businessmen even if just to inform me that they are here. There is no need for me to know. You just do it correctly,” he added.

The President has refrained to meet with businessmen after declaring war on the country’s oligarchs, who he alleged to have made money at the expense of poor Filipinos.

Apart from targeting drug suspects, Duterte recently vowed to “destroy” oligarchs embedded in the government and named tycoon Roberto Ongpin as one of them.  Ongpin, former trade minister during the Marcos regime, recently resigned from an online gaming company after he was singled out by the President as an oligarch.

In the same speech in Davao City, the President resumed his tirade against oligarchs who use money and influence to get franchises and contracts in mining and other industries.

“They spoil the land and the poor families suffer and die in landslides. You also destroy the marine life,” he said.

Oligarchs would no longer be allowed to participate in bidding of government projects, the President said.

If he sees the name of an oligarch in the bidding process, Duterte said he would order another bidding for the project. “The oligarchs, you will not have a space there,” he said.

The President also affirmed plans to revise the government’s bidding rules, saying he was opposed to awarding public contracts to the lowest bidder since it was a source of corruption.

Duterte said some winning bidders even engage in subcontracting the project because they lack capital and equipment, resulting to the delays in government projects.
Source: www.mb.com.ph