NGCP's foreign hiring violates Constitution, says Gatchalian

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) violated the Constitution when it employed 35 foreigners, according to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday.

"Base sa mga nakita namin sa records, maraming mga dayuhan. Thirty-five foreigners ang nagtatrabaho rito," Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on energy told reporters.

Eleven out of this number were at the management level while others were in charge of operations, he said.

"Ito 'yung mga nagpapatakbo ng electricity grid. So ibig sabihin, kaya nilang patayin kaya nilang buksan... Kung tayo sasabotahin, hindi manggagaling sa ibang bansa kundi nasa loob mismo ang magsasabotahe," he added.

Asked if the said foreign nationals are currently employed by the NGCP, Gatchalian said: "Sa ngayon, ang sabi wala. Nawala lang naman sila dahil napuna sila noong 2015. Kung natatandaan niyo, pumutok ito sa media at nag-umpisa silang magbawas ng mga dayuhan."

The lawmaker stressed the NGCP should explain why it violated the law.

He said this is one of the questions he would like to be directly answered by NGCP president Anthony Almeda who failed to attend the hearing on Tuesday after feeling unwell.

Some lawmakers raised concerns on security issues as 40% of NGCP is owned by State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).

Last hearing, Almeda said that the power grid detected at least a hundred cyber attacks.

“On the cyber attacks, on the past few weeks that we’re here, we’ve been attacked a hundred times already. As we speak we don’t know, it’s from the outside,” he said.

Gatchalian said that the National Security Council may also be tasked to conduct an audit on NGCP operations.

"The committee will urge through the committee hearing para gumalaw na ang NSC at gumawa na sila ng mga hakbang. We will also provide them with the budget dahil technical ito in nature, we will make sure that meron silang pondo para gumalaw," he said.

"Ang dapat tignan ngayon ay ang mga software na ginagamit ng NGCP so hindi lang inspection kundi full audit na mas malalim," he added.

‘Only three Chinese nationals’

In response to the senator’s claim, NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said that there are only three foreign nationals who are part of the transmission service provider.

“There are only three Chinese nationals in NGCP, and they are directors appointed on the basis of SGCC’s proportionate shares in NGCP,” Alabanza said in a message to GMA News Online.

“All other Chinese nationals that were previously engaged as advisors, have long been terminated,” she added, without mentioning any specific date.

Alabanza also underscored that NGCP welcomes audit as long as it is conducted by proper authorities.

“The NSC has already inspected and audited NGCP's facilities in Luzon, Visaya[s] and Mindanao. In fact, they were ready to give a report on 3 February. Unfortunately they were not given an opportunity to do so,” she added. —LDF, GMA News