Ombudsman rejects DOJ recommendation on Villanueva’s flood mess case

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has rejected the recommendation of the Department of Justice in the flood control-related case against Sen. Joel Villanueva.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said they found the DOJ case buildup “lacking” so the antigraft body will instead conduct its own preliminary investigation before filing a possible case in the Sandiganbayan.

“We did not accept the findings of DOJ because we found the case buildup lacking so we have to conduct our own,” Remulla said, partly in Filipino.

Article continues after this advertisement

“It’s our choice whether or not to accept the work of the DOJ because we delegate work to them,” he also said.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Last month, Remulla said that Villanueva’s flood control case is already “ripe” for filing in the anti-graft court.

READ: Ombudsman turns up heat on Marcoleta, Estrada, Villanueva

During the second House infrastructure committee hearing in September last year, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez alleged that Villanueva maneuvered to allocate P600 million to Bulacan’s first district in exchange for a 30-percent cut.

READ: COA seeks probe of P275-M Bulacan flood control projects

Article continues after this advertisement

Sen. Panfilo Lacson has confirmed the existence of a P600 million fund for Bulacan flood control projects linked to Villanueva.

Also during a House hearing in September, former DPWH-Bulacan assistant district engineer Jaypee Mendoza said Villanueva allegedly requested P1.5 billion from former DPWH District Engineer Henry Alcantara for a multi-purpose building, but Alcantara said that only P600 million could be allocated by then-DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

Article continues after this advertisement

Villanueva has repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Escudero

Aside from Villanueva, the flood control-related case against Sen. Escudero is already in the preliminary investigation stage, according to Remulla.

Escudero is among those implicated by state witness and former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways Roberto Bernardo in the flood control anomalies.

During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing in September last year, Bernardo alleged that businessman Maynard Ngu once asked him to submit a list of projects for inclusion in the General Appropriations Act and agreed on a purported 20-percent cut intended for Escudero.

The state witness also alleged that he himself personally delivered  P160 million and P120 million to Ngu at his Manila office.

The former Senate president has denied the allegations of Bernardo, saying: “I vehemently deny the malicious allegations and innuendos made by former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo in today’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. By his own admission, he never had any contact with me directly regarding this matter—and I will prove that he is lying about my alleged involvement.”

‘No deals with anybody’

Remulla said the status of the complaints against Villanueva and Escudero in the Office of the Ombudsman has nothing to do with political reasons.

“I’m not privy to anything of that nature,” Remulla said when asked if the progress of their complaints had something to do with the recent Senate shakeup.

“Mind you, we don’t make deals with anybody with regard to the culpability or innocence of anybody; all deals we make here will be in open court,” he said.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Villanueva and Escudero had been a part of the former majority bloc perceived to be pro-Duterte before switching sides and paving the way for the Senate presidency of Sherwin Gatchalian. /cb