SYMS Construction owner seeks Senate protection 'out of fear'

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday granted physical protection to SYMS Construction Trading owner and manager Sally Santos, who requested this from the panel "out of fear" amid the ongoing investigations into anomalous flood control projects.

During the continuing committee hearing into the matter, Santos asked to be placed under the protective custody of the Senate before divulging information.

"Mr. Chair, Your Honor, puwede po ba bago ako magsalita, puwede bang humingi po ako ng proteksiyon?" Santos asked.

(Mr. Chair, Your Honor, before I talk, can I ask for protection?) 
 

"Basta po proteksiyon kasi natatakot po [ako]," she added.

(Any kind of protection because I'm afraid.)

Committee chairman Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson then said Santos' physical protection will be removed if she is found lying. Santos agreed to this.

Senator JV Ejercito then asked Santos to talk about the "modus" involving former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez and former Bulacan 1st district engineering office construction division chief Jaypee Mendoza.

"Actually, Your Honor, hindi ko alam na gagawin nila Engineer Brice at Jaypee Mendoza po 'yun kasi syempre, sila ay tauhan ng DPWH, naniniwala ako na hindi nila gagawin 'yun. 'Yung lisensya ko po, sapilitan na nilang hiniram sa akin," Santos said.

(Actually, Your Honor, I didn't know that Engineer Brice and Jaypee Mendoza would do that because, of course, they were DPWH personnel, I believed that they would not do that. They forced me to give up my license.)

To recall, Santos had admitted to delivering around P245 million in cash to a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) office in one day. She said she could have delivered up to P1 billion to the DPWH office from 2022 to the present.

Santos also said Hernandez ordered her to borrow contractors' licenses for his projects. — VDV, GMA Integrated News