Henry Alcantara now under DOJ custody as state witness vs flood control scam

Dismissed Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara, among the so-called whistleblowers in the multi-billion-peso flood control scam, is now under the government’s witness protection program. 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) took Alcantara’s custody on Wednesday from the Senate, where he has been detained since September last year after being cited in contempt.

Alcantara and several others have been admitted as state witnesses under the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program amid the sprawling investigation into the alleged corruption in flood control projects, despite apprehensions from critics, citing their key role in the kickback scheme.

Alcantara has pledged to return P300 million in ill-gotten wealth to the government coffers as restitution. He had turned over P181 million so far.

The dismissed engineer had been a key player in the corruption scheme in flood control projects. He admitted receiving shares of kickbacks from flood control projects under the supervision of their office that were found to be either ghost or substandard. 

Alcantara implicated Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, former senator Bong Revilla, resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, and ex-Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy in the kickback scheme.

He told a congressional hearing that they received payoffs of up to 25 or 30 percent, with the funds coming from the  “insertions” in the national budget.

Aside from Alcantara, other key personalities involved in the flood control scam, who would be discharged from criminal liability, include former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, DPWH engineer Gerard Opulencia, and public works contractor Sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading.