NBI probing 3 ghost flood control projects in Bulacan — SOJ Remulla

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is looking into three ghost flood control projects in Bulacan that may be subject of filing of complaints, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday.

At a press briefing, Remulla said the NBI validated the information of the three ghost projects from the Sumbong sa Pangulo website. He estimated the projects to cost around P300 million.

“Andoon na yung tatlong coordinates of three ghost projects so they’re just tying up the loose ends so we can file a case on that,” he told reporters.

He said they may file a complaint for malversation or plunder.

“If you want to make it easier, malversation. Malversation might be the easier one to prove. Because plunder has many requirements. And with the same effect in terms of penalty, malversation might be the better crime to charge,” he said.

“Plunder can be an alternative prayer but malversation might be the easier one to prove in a court of law,” he added.

However, he said there are no final respondents yet. 

According to the Justice secretary, they are looking at a conspiracy angle.

“We're looking at the different liabilities of each party. kasi meron kang DPWH, meron kang contractor ( there is the DPWH, there is the contractor), in between a politician, and we will have to look at it completely,” he said.

He said it is “very possible” that a politician may become a respondent.

“But we will have to do a lot of forensic accounting. Hindi naman ito nakukuha sa isang tingin eh. Pinag- aaralan mo talaga yung terrain, pinag-aaralan mo talaga yung movement ng pera. Marami ka pinag aaralan dito,” he said.

(But we will have to do a lot of forensic accounting. It's not something you can grasp at a glance. You have to study the terrain, the movement of money. There are many things that you have to study here.) 

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). 

He has appointed two members of the ICI and a special adviser of the body tasked to investigate anomalous flood control projects.

Earlier Monday, Marcos named former Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. as the chairperson of the ICI. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News