Lacson mulls if Brice Hernandez can be escorted while finding evidence

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Friday that he will talk with Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III regarding the possibility on whether former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez will be allowed to go outside the upper chamber’s premises to look for more evidence against those implicated in the anomalous flood control projects. 

During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, Hernandez asked if the contempt order against him could be lifted so that he could find evidence to prove that there were other high-ranking officials involved in the controversy. 

Lacson, who is the chairman of the committee, denied the engineer's plea, saying it would be unfair for other individuals who were cited in contempt.

“Unang pumasok sa isip ko, baka mamaya hindi na siya bumalik maski may escort, baka masalisi niya. Pero on second thought, puwede sigurong payagan ‘yun kung talagang hinahanap natin ang katotohanan,” the senator said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(The first thing that came to my mind was that he might not come back to the Senate even with an escort. But on second thought, maybe we can allow that if we are really looking for the truth.) 

“So pag-uusapan namin ni Senate President kung pwede siyang under escort, bumalik sa kanyang lugar sa Bulacan o kung saan man ang bahay niya, pero talagang 24/7 babantayan siya or limited ‘yung time na pwede siyang umuwi. Dahil maghahanap daw ng mga katibayan, mga resibo pa. Pwede i-consider ‘yun actually,” he added.

(So the Senate President and I will discuss whether he can be escorted and return to his place in Bulacan or wherever his house is, but he will be monitored 24/7 or he will only be given limited time to go home. Because he said he will look for evidence and receipts. That can actually be considered.) 

Lacson said that Hernandez may still have other bank accounts or assets that were not covered by the freeze order by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), that may be used for the investigation into the flood control mess. 

Hernandez, a former engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), previously claimed at a House hearing that Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada were involved in the anomalous flood control projects.

Both senators have since denied the allegations.

Still, Lacson said that Villanueva and Estrada have not been cleared on the issue of budget insertions involving infrastructure projects in Bulacan worth P600 million and P355 million respectively, as alleged by Hernandez.

“By any measure, Senators Villanueva and Estrada have not been cleared, at least on the issue of budget insertions involving infrastructure projects in Bulacan worth P600M and P355M respectively, as alleged by Engr Brice Hernandez,” Lacson said.