Discayas, Alcantara, Hernandez now 'protected witnesses' —DOJ

Contractors Curlee and Sarah Disacaya and former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), namely Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza, are now protected witnesses under the Department of Justice's Witness Protection Program (WPP).

That's according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

“After hearing them, nag usap-usap kami, and we decided that that’s the least we can do right now,” Remulla said in an ambush interview on Wednesday. 

According to the Justice secretary, security will be provided for the witnesses, which may be extended to their family.

"Witness protection na yan," he said.

“Bibigyan na natin ‘yan ng mga security. Papaalam na natin sa PNP ‘yung kanilang kinalalagyan para meron nang roronda kung saan man sila naroroon. Talagang paparamdam natin sa kanila na hindi natin sila papabayaan,” he added.

(We will provide them with security. We will inform the PNP of their whereabouts so there will be patrols wherever they are. We will make them feel that we will not abandon them.)

He said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has written a letter to Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III regarding their status.

Not state witnesses

Remulla, however, clarified that they are not yet state witnesses, reiterating that he wanted “the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” as state witnesses are completely freed from criminal liability.

Despite this, the Justice secretary found that former DPWH officials are “showing their good faith.” 

“Pinapakita nila na gusto nila talaga magsabi ng totoo at ito ay kanilang sinasabayan ng mga dokumento at mga notes na kanilang naipon through the years,” he said.

(They show that they truly want to tell the truth, and they accompany it with documents and notes they have accumulated through the years.)

Remulla noted that Hernandez has returned some of his assets and will return more. Hernandez already surrendered one of his luxury vehicles to the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). 

“‘Yan ay mga simbolo ng mga yaman na hindi dapat na kaban ng isang tao. Kung ito man ay nanggaling sa casino o nanggaling sa pondo ng bayan, yan ay hindi na dapat maulit sa atin,” he said.

(Those are symbols of wealth that should not be the treasury of a single person. Whether they came from a casino or from the public coffers, that should not happen to us again.)

Hernandez and Mendoza visited the DOJ earlier today for evaluation.

Remulla confirmed that the DOJ received the evidence stored on Hernandez’ computer.

Information

According to the secretary, information was provided to the Justice Department that has yet to be revealed during congressional hearings.

“Mga pangalang hindi nababanggit na ngayon ay nababanggit at maaaring i-ugnay sa mga taong hindi pa nababanggit,” he said.

(Names that were not being mentioned before are now being mentioned and can possibly be linked to people who have not yet been named.)

When asked if he is satisfied, Remulla said that more information needs to be revealed.

“Ngunit ano naman— ako naman ay natutuwa na nariyan sila upang magbigay ng impormasyon sa atin at yang mga impormasyon na yan ay talagang makakatulong sa mga kasong ating ipapataw at mga taong ihahabla natin,” he said.

(But I am actually glad that they are there to provide us with information, and those pieces of information will truly help with the cases we will file and the people we will prosecute.)

Remulla previously said the Discaya couple must first return ill-gotten funds, if any, to the country's coffers before they can be considered as state witnesses.

The Discayas previously disclosed the names of several congressmen, their staff, and officials of the DPWH who are allegedly involved in corruption.

In Tuesday's hearing, Alcantara bared that he worked with DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo in giving commissions off flood control projects to the the camps of Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, former senator Bong Revilla, Jr.,  Co, and former Caloocan representative Mitch Cajayon.

After the evaluation of his testimony, the National Bureau of Investigation recommended the filing of charges against these individuals, except for Revilla.

For its part, Malacañang expressed support for Remulla’s call to the Discayas to first return ill-gotten funds before they can become state witnesses.

“Ang mga witness na nagnanais ng proteksyon mula sa gobyerno ay humihingi ng tulong sa gobyerno, hindi po ba dapat din na sila ay magbalik sa gobyerno habang sila ay pinoproteksyunan,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing.

(The witnesses who are seeking protection from the government are asking for help from the government, so shouldn’t they also return to the government what is due while they are under its protection?)

“Gagastusan sila ng gobyerno, so kailangan din po na sila ay tumulong sa gobyerno. Bakit pa natin hihintayin na ang gobyerno ay magsampa ng kaso para mabawi ang mga nanakaw nila kung sila naman mismo ang umamin na sila ay may nanakaw sa gobyerno,” she added.

(The government will spend for them, so they also need to help the government. Why should we still wait for the government to file a case to recover what they stole, if they themselves already admitted that they stole from the government?) —VAL/RF, GMA Integrated News