DOJ: P841 million from flood control anomalies returned to Treasury
by Ian Laqui · philstarMANILA, Philippines — More than P841 million in flood control project funds has been returned to the National Treasury, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
In a statement sent to reporters on Wednesday, July 29, DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said a total of P841,381,500 has been returned to the state coffers.
“The president’s message was plain: what is recovered belongs to the Filipino people and those who betrayed the public trust must answer before the courts,” the DOJ said.
“The Department of Justice will do its part in close coordination with the Office of the Ombudsman, whose constitutional mandate we respect absolutely. Where the law places a case in our hands, we will build it to the standards that stand in court. That is what the rule of law requires and what the Filipino people deserve,” it added.
The individuals identified by the DOJ as having returned the funds are the same individuals the agency named as state witnesses.
The cash was remitted to Land Bank of the Philippines.
The following returned the funds, according to the DOJ:
- Henry Alcantara: P181,379,500
- Sally Santos: P20,000,000
- Gerard Opulencia: P140,002,000
- Roberto Bernardo: P500,000,000 (P450,000,000 + P50,000,000)
The individuals mentioned, if named in complaints filed by the Ombudsman or the DOJ, are generally exempt from criminal liability as state witnesses.
Bernardo is a former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary who admitted involvement in irregular flood control projects and said he helped arrange kickbacks or commissions tied to some of the projects.
Alcantara is a former DPWH Bulacan district engineer who said he issued completion certificates for a P55-million flood control project that later turned out to be a ghost project, and he also said he worked with Bernardo on commission arrangements.
Meanwhile, Santos is a contractor and owner or manager of SYMS Construction who became a state witness and testified that she allegedly transferred about P1.72 billion to former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez for flood control projects.