Six incumbent, ex-senators could be tagged in flood control mess —Hernandez lawyer

Four incumbent and two former senators could be linked to the anomalous flood control projects, according to the lawyer of former Bulacan first district engineer Brice Hernandez. 

In Mariz Umali’s report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday, Hernandez’s lawyer Raymond Fortun said that his client’s revelations are not yet over, depending on what would be found in the computer that he turned over to the Senate earlier. 

“Si Brice sinabi niya na ‘yung salaysay na binigay ni Engineer Alcantara ay kulang pa…meron siyang mga binanggit sa akin na mga pangalan. Based ito doon sa kanyang recollection of yung mga tao na meron silang mga naipasok na mga proyekto dito sa Bulacan. Again, mga proponents noong mga projects,” said Fortun. 

(Brice said that Engineer Alcantara's testimony was incomplete... he mentioned some names to me. This is based on his recollection of the people who were able to get their projects into Bulacan. Again, they were proponents of these projects.) 

The lawyer also confirmed the report that there could be six senators - four present and two former - who could be implicated in the scandal. But Fortun said they will not be named outright until there is evidence.

There are so far three senators who have been named during the Senate inquiry - Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, and former Senator Bong Revilla - all of whom have denied the allegations.

“Hanggang hindi pa talaga na-unseal at nabubuksan ‘yung laman nitong computer, mas nirarapat po niya na hindi na lang po muna magsasalita para hindi siya nagtuturo ng mga tao…” said Fortun. 

(As long as the contents of this computer have not been unsealed and opened, he prefers not to speak so he it will not look like he is pointing fingers at people.) 

“...kung sino ‘yung mga personalidad, kung ilan bang senator talaga ito, kung whether incumbent or whether ex-senators. Sa kanya, it is better na hawak niya mismo ‘yung mga dokumento na meron na siya para mas mabuti at mas malinaw at mas detailed ‘yung kanyang masasabi tungkol dito,” he added. 

(...as to who the personalities are, how many senators there really are, whether they are incumbent or former senators. For him, he himself should hold the documents he has, so that what he says about this is better, clearer, and more detailed.) 

What's certain, according to Fortun, is that Hernandez will provide more evidence to the Department of Justice to support his testimony.

“I understand na mayroon pang mga two to three boxes na hindi pa nga na-i-turn-over din,” said Fortun.

(I understand that there are two to three boxes that have not yet been turned over.) 

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo Lacson said the pieces of evidence received from Hernandez, including the computer and folders related to the flood control projects investigation, have been turned over to the DOJ for preservation and inclusion in the investigation.

Hernandez has already given a sworn statement to the DOJ, Lacson added. 

Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo is expected to attend the resumption of the Blue Ribbon panel’s hearing on Thursday. 

According to DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara, he confirmed that Bernardo was the one he spoke with regarding the allocation of funds and which proponents or lawmakers would receive a percentage. The cash for the proponents was also allegedly brought to Bernardo.

“Meron siyang naunang affidavit, magsu-supplemental daw siya because the affidavit that was sent to us earlier, that was before Alcantara testified yesterday. So ngayon, after hearing the testimony, nagpasabi na magsusupplemental. I don't know. Wala ko idea,” said Lacson

(He has a prior affidavit, and he will provide a supplemental one because the affidavit sent to us earlier was before Alcantara testified yesterday. So now, after hearing the testimony, he has said he will supplement it. I don't know. I have no idea.) 

“Siya yung magiging susi jan kasi sya yung naglagay dito sa Bulacan eh. So siya yung parang tinuturo nilang lahat nilang tatlo,” said Senate Blue Ribbon Committee vice chairperson Erwin Tulfo. 

(He will be the key because he was the one who placed them here in Bulacan. So he is the one they are all pointing to.) 

Further, Tulfo said that placing the witnesses under the DOJ's protective custody will be a great help, as it will allow them to speak freely before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

“Kung protected witness sya i believe mas makakasalita nang malaya yung tatlong taga-DPWH pati sila Discaya. Kasi yun din ang hinihingi nila eh proteksyon para ibigay nila yung ledger. So I believe tama lang yung direksyon na yun,” he said. 

(If he is a protected witness, I believe the three people from DPWH and the Discayas will be able to speak more freely. Because that's what they're asking for—protection to give the ledger. So I believe that direction is correct.) 

It’s possible that tomorrow's Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing will be the last, but it will still depend on new evidence that may emerge. All of this evidence will be turned over to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News