MANILA — Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, and several former officials have been recommended for prosecution in connection with the alleged flood control racket, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday.

Remulla said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), after evaluating the affidavit of dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara, found sufficient grounds to pursue charges.

“We had the NBI come over, the AMLC [Anti-Money Laundering Council], and of course, the NPS (National Prosecution Service) is housed inside the DOJ compound. We met at Room 206 over the affidavit of Mr. Alcantara and he was there, present to answer questions. We determined that the NBI would be investigating it. On the outset, they recommended filing of charges already,” Remulla said.

Also included in the NBI’s recommendation are Alcantara himself, former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, and former Caloocan City Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy.

Remulla said the AMLC had issued freeze orders on the bank accounts of those implicated.

“We gave a digital file to the AMLC and they already started acting on this because it is already a filed complaint with the Department of Justice. Given that, I believe the freeze orders have been issued already by the AMLC over the bank accounts of these people,” he told senators.

The charges may include violation of Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, indirect bribery under Article 2 of the Revised Penal Code, and malversation of public funds under Article 217.

Remulla added that the Department of Justice is also reviewing possible liability of Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana and his spouse, who was identified as a contractor in Alcantara’s testimony.

Earlier on Tuesday, Remulla escorted Alcantara out of the Senate Session Hall to the DOJ office to process his sworn affidavit and evaluate his request for inclusion in the Witness Protection Program (WPP) as part of the probe into anomalous flood control projects. Alcantara, previously cited in contempt for denying involvement, named Villanueva, Estrada, Co, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Bernardo, and Cajayon-Uy in his statement.

Remulla said the affidavit would help the DOJ and the WPP “file a case as soon as possible” as demanded by the public.

Villanueva, Estrada deny allegations

Meanwhile, Villanueva and Estrada denied involvement in the alleged flood control project anomalies, saying their names were “unfairly” dragged into the controversy.

“Sinabi din po at inamin ni District Engr. Alcantara na may tulong daw siyang ipinaabot pero hindi po sa akin. At siya na rin po mismo ang nagsabi na wala po akong alam doon (District Engineer Alcantara admitted that he gave help but not to me. He himself said I had no knowledge of it),” Villanueva said. He added that his requests were for multipurpose buildings in Bulacan, not flood control works.

Estrada said the pork barrel cases filed against him had been resolved by the courts.

“Sa huli, napatunayan na walang sapat na batayan ang mga ipinukol sa akin na akusasyon (In the end, it was proven there was no sufficient basis for the accusations against me),” he said, warning colleagues not to undermine judicial rulings and calling such doubts “an insult to me personally but a dangerous affront to the judiciary.”

(PNA)