Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday revealed that 67 members of the House of Representatives have “proven interests” in construction firms — a conflict of interest that he said could widen to implicate 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.”
Remulla explained that the Department of Justice investigation remains in the case build-up stage, with legal remedies and theories still under study. “This is still in the case build-up stage, and it’s going to be a long one considering the complications,” he said.
The DOJ is preparing cases that may involve lawmakers, district engineers, and contractors allegedly linked to government projects. Witnesses and respondents are being interviewed as part of the probe.
“What’s unique here is the contractors — congressmen who became contractors, or contractors who became congressmen — who definitely violated many laws by taking part in infrastructure projects despite the conflict of interest,” Remulla said.
He confirmed that he has discussed the matter with House Speaker Faustino Dy III but stressed that further research and documentation are needed before legal action can proceed. Among the remedies being considered is the possible use of forfeiture laws against officials who profited from such arrangements.
Despite the hurdles, Remulla vowed to push forward: “It’s about time we did something about it.”