Besieged by public complaints over its failure to go after the big fish in the flood control projects scandal, the Marcos administration announced yesterday the Department of Justice (DoJ) has initiated a preliminary investigation into a list of individuals that includes Senator Joel Villanueva and former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

The complaints concerned infrastructure projects in Bulacan that were reported as fully completed but were later found to be grossly deficient or non-existent.

DoJ Assistant Secretary Polo Martinez said the hearing covered cases involving Wawao Builders and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. in connection with projects under the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office that were declared “100 percent completed” despite serious irregularities.

Martinez said Villanueva and Revilla are respondents in two separate cases involving different projects.

The charges include direct bribery, corruption of public officials, and malversation through falsification, as well as alleged violations of the Government Procurement Reform Act (Republic Act 9184) and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019).

The complaints were apart from the five earlier cases involving SYMS Construction Trading.

“These are separate from the original five cases involving SYMS Construction Trading,” said Martinez, adding that all five cases have been referred to the Office of the Ombudsman for appropriate action.

Revilla, Villanueva have same lawyer

Revilla filed his counter-affidavit immediately. The former lawmaker appeared for the preliminary investigation with his lawyers, who denied the claims made by the witnesses in the complaint.

One of his lawyers, Ramon Esguerra, said the former senator is facing complaints of violations of Article 210 or Direct Bribery and Article 211 or Indirect Bribery under the Revised Penal Code.

Esguerra said the allegations against Revilla were baseless. “There is no prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction,” he said.

Esguerra said the witnesses against Revilla, including former Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Henry Alcantara, were not credible.