Lacson confirms P600M for Bulacan flood control projects under unprogrammed funds

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday confirmed that the P600 million worth of flood control projects in Bulacan, which were allegedly linked to Senator Joel Villanueva, were found under unprogrammed appropriations for fiscal year 2023. 

Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez claimed that Villanueva allegedly received a 30% “kickback” from the P600 million worth of flood control projects in the province.

“We want to be fair, we want to be transparent, we want to be honest, especially [to the] public… Just to give credence to the assertion of I don’t know if it’s Jaypee Mendoza or Brice Hernandez, indeed meron talagang (there really is) P600 million, as described, as enumerated under the unprogrammed funds,” Lacson said during the hearing.

“Ito ‘yung kine-claim niyo na-ininsert ni Senator Joel sa Bulacan (that’s what you claimed that Senator Joel inserted in Bulacan). I counted, and there are either seven or eight items with a value of P75 million each. I computed that’s exactly P600 million,” he added. 

Earlier during the hearing, Lacson said that he found no record in the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the list of projects that Hernandez mentioned. 

But Hernandez later said that such projects were listed under the 2023 unprogrammed funds. 

“Dahil na rin sa butihing Senador Win Gatchalian, ‘yung pinakita niya kanina na unprogrammed ng General Appropriations Act ng 2023, doon nakasama ang listahan ng projects ni Senator Joel,” Hernandez said. 

(Because Senator Gatchalian showed the unprogrammed funds under the 2023 GAA, I remember that Senator Joel’s projects were under that.) 

Villanueva, in return, suggested during the hearing that Hernandez be provided with a copy of the 2023 GAA to prove his claim that he was among the senators involved in the flood control mess. 

“Sabi po niya sa hearing nasa GAA daw. Binasa ko po lahat ‘to, actually nagpunta pa po ako sa 2024 at 2022,” the senator said. 

(He said at the hearing that it was in the GAA. I read it all, actually I even went to 2024 and 2022.) 

Legislative immunity 

The Blue Ribbon Committee also granted former Bulacan 1st district engineering office construction division chief Jaypee Mendoza legislative immunity as he claimed that Villanueva sought P1.5 billion funds in October 2022. 

“Itong time na ‘to nung pa-picturan sakin ni Boss Henry [Alcantara] ‘yung cellphone niya kasi disappearing message. That time ang sabi ni Boss Henry, nagrerequest daw si Sen. Joel ng pondo ng almost, parang ang pagkakabanggit ni Boss Henry is P1.5 billion. Subalit ang pumasok sa conversation na na-picturan, is ang kaya i-allot lang sa kanya ni Secretary Bonoan is P600 million,” Mendoza said. 

(That time, Boss Henry Alcantara asked me to take a picture of his cell phone because the message was on disappearing mode. That time, Boss Henry said that Sen. Joel was requesting funds of almost P1.5 billion, according to Boss Henry. But based on the conversation, what Secretary Bonoan could only give to him was P600 million.) 

“Pag nagpa-follow up si Sen Joel, totoo naman po, na ang nire-request niya is mga multipurpose building. Pero that time na hindi kayang ibigay ‘yung amount na hinihingi ni Senator Joel, ang kaya lang ni Secretary Manuel Bonoan nung time na ‘yun is P600 [million]. So hindi maaabot ang target na P1 billion mahigit, naisip ni DE Henry na i-convert sa flood control ‘yung P600 million na which is kinuhanan ng 25% ‘yung mga contractor para ang maging total P150 million,” he added. 

(When Sen. Joel was following up, it's true that he was requesting multipurpose buildings. But at that time, the amount requested by Senator Joel couldn’t be given, and all Secretary Manuel Bonoan could give was P600 [million]. The target of P1 billion could not be reached, so DE Henry converted to flood control the P600 million. A 25% was also taken from the contractors to make the total P150 million.) 

Villanueva then showed a tutorial on how such disappearing messages on Viber could be altered. 

“I‘m sorry, Mr. Chairman. There's nothing there. Kahit na picture lang ‘yung pinicture mo (even if that’s a picture), there’s nothing there that states that. Is this a new allegation you are talking about?” Villanueva further asked. 

Villanueva previously described the allegation that he was involved in the anomalous flood control projects as a “demolition job.” 

Lacson explained that legislative immunity “does not extend to prosecution.”

“Ang lahat ng sasabihin niya dito, maski i-incriminate niya ang sarili niya, hindi pwedeng gamitin sa kanya,” he explained. 

(Anything a person says, even if s/he incriminates himself or herself, cannot be used against him/her.) –NB, GMA Integrated News