DOJ denies cover-up in flood control probe, urges due process

Acting Justice Secretary Frederic Vida on Monday assured the public that there is no cover-up in the government’s ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in flood control projects, emphasizing that all cases will be based on solid evidence and due process.

He said the Department of Justice (DOJ) remains committed to ensuring transparency and fairness as it works with the Office of the Ombudsman and other agencies in probing the misuse of public funds.

“There is no cover-up here,” Vida said in an interview. “What we do not want is to file cases without evidence. That is not only the right of the accused — it is the right of every Filipino that the DOJ stands firmly for the rule of law.”

He explained that the investigation involves several stages of verification and coordination with the Commission on Audit (COA), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and inspection teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). These groups are validating whether some of the so-called “ghost projects” actually exist.

Vida said that there are cases where a COA fraud audit report states that a project was not built. “But when our AFP, PNP, and NBI teams visit the site, they find something different,” he said. “When you ask the residents, they say, ‘The project is there — walk about 200 meters.’ That’s why we need to be absolutely sure.”

He warned that prematurely filing cases without verified facts could damage the credibility of the investigation and unjustly target innocent officials.

“We don’t want to file a case for a ghost project that turns out not to be a ghost project,” Vida said. “We have to be certain. That’s why we are making sure the evidence is clear.”

Vida also said that while the DOJ will share updates with the public, it must be cautious about revealing sensitive details to protect prosecutorial strategies.

“I don’t want to preclude prosecutorial strategies,” he said. “Remember, it’s not just the Filipino public who are listening — even those who may have stolen public money are also watching. So we must be careful as we build our cases.”

He appealed to the public and the media to help explain the process behind the investigations and avoid drawing conclusions before the cases are completed.

“I don’t want to preempt or prejudge anything,” he said. “We’re in the middle of the preliminary investigation. We will see it through to the end.”

He underscored that the DOJ is determined to uphold fairness and accountability.

“There is a process,” Vida said. “The DOJ must always stand by its principles and the rule of law.”

Vida also urged journalists to help the government communicate this process clearly to citizens, saying that public understanding is crucial to maintaining confidence in the justice system.

“Please help us explain this to our fellow Filipinos,” he said. “Otherwise, they won’t understand what we’re doing. The media plays a big role in helping people see that there really is a process.”

He added that his decision to explain the DOJ’s work in Filipino was meant to make legal and procedural matters more accessible to the public.

“I try to speak in Filipino so that more of our countrymen can understand,” Vida said. “It’s important for people to know that there really is a process — and that we are following it.”

Vida said that both the DOJ and the Ombudsman are working to ensure accountability, stressing that evidence — not speculation — will determine the outcome of the corruption cases.

“We will go where the evidence leads,” he said. “Our goal is to make sure that those who should answer for wrongdoing will indeed be held accountable, but always through the proper process.”