Remulla confirms charges vs senators, lawmakers in flood fund case

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday confirmed that formal complaints will be filed against several senators and House representatives over alleged corruption and misuse of public funds, following an affidavit submitted by former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara. 

Later in the afternoon, at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects, Remulla detailed his meeting with the representatives of the National Bureau of Investigation, Anti-Money Laundering Council, and the National Prosecution Service (NPS) within the Department of Justice (DOJ) at the Senate premises, reviewing Alcantara’s sworn affidavit.

 Alcantara was also present during the meeting.

“We had the NBI come over, the AMLC, and the NPS housed in the DOJ compound. We met in room 206 over the affidavit of Mr. Alcantara, in his presence. And we determine that the NBI will be investigating it,” Remulla told Senate panel chairperson Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. 

“They recommended the filing of charges already. So we treated this already as a complaint, with the NBI as an endorsing agency,” he added. 

Remulla further revealed that a digital copy of the complaint and relevant documents had already been forwarded to the AMLC, which immediately began acting on the matter.

According to him, the AMLC has reportedly issued freeze orders on several bank accounts linked to the alleged felony.

“They started acting already because there’s already a filed complaint with the DOJ. So, given that, I believe that freeze orders have been issued directly by the AMLC, over the bank counts of felony,” he said.

According to Remulla, the NBI’s initial recommendation for prosecution includes Senator Joel Villanueva, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Congressman Elizaldy Co, former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, and former Congresswoman Mitch Cajayon-Uy.

When Lacson inquired about the specific charges to be filed, Remulla said the alleged offenses include violations of Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), Article 211 of the Revised Penal Code (Direct Bribery), and Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code (Malversation of Public Funds).

“The crimes committed were all specified in the sheets given by the NBI to us,” he said. 

The Justice chief added that the DOJ is also reviewing potential involvement by Commissioner Mario Lipana and his spouse, Marilou Laurio-Lipana, who is reportedly a contractor.

“So far, these are the people, but we are still looking at the case of Commissioner Lipana and his spouse, who was a contractor, since it was already touched upon by Commissioner Alcantara, and we are working on that now,” he said. 

Documents from the DPWH show that Olympus Mining and Builders Group Philippines Corporation, headed by Lipana’s wife, has secured multiple government contracts in recent years, including projects funded as recently as 2023.