THE Office of the Prosecutor General on Thursday revealed that two or three plunder cases would be filed against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and detained ex-senator Bong Revilla in connection with the flood control project scandal.
At a Pandesal Forum in Quezon City, Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said that more flood control cases would be filed against officials of the 1st Bulacan District Engineering Office next week.
Fadullon said his office would issue subpoenas against Estrada and Revilla in the plunder cases for violation of Republic Act 7080, or the Anti-Plunder Law, within the week.
He, however, declined to cite the exact amounts of public funds that Estrada and Revilla are accused of amassing.
The prosecutor general and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, who was also at the forum, appealed to the public for understanding and patience, and urged people to trust the process as they continue to gather more evidence against those involved and other names to be divulged in the near future.
Fadullon said his office, which is under the Department of Justice, has been working closely with the Office of the Ombudsman, Independent Commission for Infrastructure, and the Department of Public Works and Highways in its bid to complete the investigation without delay and ensure the filing of cases against those involved.
Both Dizon and Fadullon said they understood the sentiment of the public to see swift results in the ongoing flood control probe but they could not simply do it in haste as they want airtight cases to ensure conviction of those implicated in the scandal.
“It’s not difficult to file cases against anyone but it is not easy to prove the guilt of those involved, hence, we are doing it through the process so that we would see conviction in the end,” Fadullon said. “It may take longer, but it guarantees us that it would get the best result.” Moreover, Fadullon said preliminary investigations are also ongoing before the filing of cases against at least six private contractors, whose identities he declined to share.
At the same forum, Ben Tulfo, an anti-corruption advocate and founding chairman of the IpaBitag Mo Inc., challenged lawmakers to institutionalize the Bottom-Up Budgeting program to curb corruption.
“To date, we have yet to see government officials held accountable and prosecuted. We are calling the citizenry to be vigilant and stop all forms of corruption in the government,” said Tulfo, as he clarified that he was talking not as a journalist and crime-buster but as an advocate against unlawful activities specifically in the government.
Navotas City Rep. Tobias Tiangco, at the same forum, said while cases were already filed against some concerned DPWH officials, as well as private contractors led by couple Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya, he hopes to see those “brains” properly charged in court.
“But I acknowledge that the concerned law enforcement agencies are doing their best to go after those involved in this flood control scam,” Tiangco said.
The lawmaker told the forum that he was the one that revealed alleged irregularities particularly the illegal insertions at the national budget as well as anomalous flood control projects that involved Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, who was then-chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.
He then said Co could not do it alone without the “blessing” of those above him.
