MANILA – Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said a special division in the Sandiganbayan to handle ghost flood control project cases will be among the matters to be discussed with magistrates of the anti-graft court next week.

“I will ask the Sandiganbayan and, of course, the Supreme Court if we will need a special (Sandiganbayan) division,” Remulla said in a press briefing.

He added that the meeting would also cover the Sandiganbayan’s other “possible requests.”

Meanwhile, Remulla disclosed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering one individual, out of several who recently applied for the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP), as a possible state witness.

He said the WPP evaluated the applicants based on the extent of their offenses, but he declined to name the individual under consideration.

“Mayroon kami isa na na-consider (We have one individual under consideration). Marami nag-a-apply (Many are applying), but the witness protection program was not created for a multitude of crimes done by one person. Usually, a would-be state witness is one that is least guilty and for one or two acts or incidents, not like in these cases, which involves hundreds of different cases,” Remulla said.

Out of the initial 100 to 200 individuals potentially liable in the flood control project corruption scandal, about 15 are already “ripe for prosecution,” he added.

Remulla also defended the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) from critics claiming it duplicates the work of prosecutors and the Ombudsman, causing delays in case buildup.

“The ICI is functioning very well, and the information they give us is vetted, so it’s a step faster for the Ombudsman. Maganda yan, kasi pag pasok, meron na silang hinanda (It’s good because once they file it before the Ombudsman, they are prepared). I think that helps,” he said. (PNA)