Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said doing business with foreign companies that are blacklisted in other countries is okay, as long as they do not violate any Philippine laws.
Due diligence must be observed in checking the background of foreign companies before working with them, he added.
"If they did not violate any provisions of our law doing business in the country, why not? Philippine law must prevail always, we are a sovereign country... Basta wala silang ginawang mali sa Pilipinas, wala silang ginawang mali sa mata ng batas natin, at sila ay maaaring makapaghanap-buhay (As long as they did not do anything wrong in the Philippines, they have not violated the law, then they can make a livelihood here)," Domagoso said in an online forum.
"Ngayon, kung may kasalanan sila sa ibang bahagi ng mundo, meron silang kasaysayang masama (Now, if they committed violations in other parts of the world, they have a bad history)... these must be taken into consideration as a matter of practicing due diligence," he added.
Domagoso made the statement after he was asked to comment on the Chinese firm Communications Construction Company, Ltd. (CCCC), that is involved in the construction of the Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite.
The company has been banned by the United States over their alleged involvement in the militarization of the disputed South China Sea.
The Manila mayor, however, said that the city government will only work with companies with clean backgrounds, regardless of their nationality.
"Kung ang magko-kontrata ay lokal na pamahalaan, of course, I will work with companies with good standing. I will not deal with companies with bad backgrounds. Why would you expose your local government unit to that?" he said.
Several lawmakers have sounded the alarm on CCCC and its alleged violations in other countries.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. earlier planned to recommend that government rescind contracts with Chinese companies.
But Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte decided to continue with the Sangley Point International Airport Project and all other projects involving Chinese companies that were blacklisted in other countries.