DoJ to probe 67 solons over contractor links

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday said 67 members of the House of Representatives were identified as having “proven interests” in construction firms — a conflict of interest that could expand into an inquiry involving more than 200 individuals nationwide.

“Everybody knows about it in Congress, that many of their colleagues are contractors also, and that this is a prohibited activity,” Remulla said. “It’s not rocket science. It’s the impunity of it all — people think no one will run after them.”

The government investigation into the lawmakers allegedly engaged in public works contracting will be complex and protracted, with legal theories and remedies still under study, Remulla said.

“This is still in the case build-up stage, and it’s going to be a long one considering the complications,” Remulla told reporters.

“What’s unique here is the contractors — congressmen who became contractors and contractors who became congressmen — definitely violated many laws by taking part in infrastructure projects despite the conflict of interest,” he said.

The Department of Justice (DoJ), he added, is preparing cases that could involve not only the lawmakers but also the district engineers and other contractors connected to the government projects.

A DoJ team is now interviewing witnesses and respondents as part of the case build-up.

“We’re looking at the totality of it, on how crazy it has become, so that we can address every problem with the law that best fits the situation,” Remulla said.

He confirmed discussing the matter with House Speaker Faustino Dy III, but stressed that further research and documentation are needed before any legal action can be pursued.

Possible remedies under consideration include using forfeiture laws against officials who benefited from such arrangements.

Despite the hurdles, Remulla vowed to move forward, saying, “It’s about time we did something about it.”