Ombudsman: Recantation claims ‘noise,’ sworn statements stand

The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday dismissed reports that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza were recanting their testimonies linking lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives to alleged flood control project anomalies, calling the claims mere “noise.”

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the Ombudsman would rely solely on sworn statements in evaluating the case.

“Seems like noise to us. We will only rely on sworn statements,” Clavano said.

He added that any attempt to retract earlier statements would only harm the former engineers, particularly with regard to their admission to the witness protection program.

“Besides, that (recantation) would hurt their admission into witness protection,” he said.

Earlier, the Department of Justice also dismissed the recantation rumors, saying Alcantara had not officially withdrawn his previous statements.

“The DOJ has not received or reviewed any affidavit from Henry Alcantara retracting his previous statements,” DOJ spokesperson Raphael Nicollo Martinez said in a statement.

“There has been no official recantation by Alcantara whether written or verbal,” he added.

Alcantara earlier submitted a counter-affidavit in response to complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation against him and other DPWH officials over alleged kickback schemes tied to a supposed ghost flood control project in Bulacan.

Martinez said Alcantara’s counter-affidavits did not contain any retraction of his previous statements.

The DOJ had provisionally admitted Alcantara into the Witness Protection Program to utilize him as a state witness. The former DPWH engineer also turned over P181.7 million as partial restitution out of a total P300 million commitment to the government.

The Ombudsman recently filed two batches of charges against individuals allegedly involved in the flood control scandal, including malversation and graft charges against former Rep. Zaldy Co and 16 others before the Sandiganbayan over a P289-million substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro.

Another set of malversation and graft charges was filed against contractor Sara Discaya and others before a regional trial court in Digos City in connection with a P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has resumed bail hearings for nine DPWH officials who are co-accused with Co in the Oriental Mindoro case. Administrative Officer IV of the DPWH Central Office Joanne Lacerna was presented by the prosecution to testify on the tenure of the accused officials.

Meanwhile, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said in a separate briefing that he is set to testify before the Sandiganbayan on 20 January in connection with the case.

“At syempre dahil ako ang complainant sa marami sa mga kasong ito, makikita niyo akong magtetestigo sa maraming kaso sa mga susunod na linggo, susunod na buwan (sa) patuloy nitong proseo nating pananagot ng mga dapat managot,” Dizon said.