DOJ: Villars under investigation for ties to contractor with P18.5 billion in gov't deals

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday said senators Mark Villar and Camille Villar, and their mother, former Sen. Cynthia Villar, are being investigated amid reports that they have familial ties with a Las Piñas-based contractor, who has secured P18.5 billion worth of government contracts.

Remulla told reporters that they are investigating information that Mark Villar has a first cousin who is a contractor, which he said was a “prohibited interest.” 

“That’s a prohibited interest,” Remulla said.

“With his cousin being the contractor in Las Piñas. P18.5 billion worth of projects,” he added.

Mark Villar was the DPWH secretary from 2016 to 2021, under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

During this time, his mother, Cynthia, was a senator while his sister, Camille, was a Las Piñas Representative starting from 2019. 

When asked, the secretary affirmed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would also investigate Camille Villar and Cynthia Villar as they have “related interests.”

“Isang relationship lang ‘yan. Isang family lang yan. First degree of consanguinity up to the fourth degree of consanguinity,” Remulla said in a media briefing.

(That’s just one relationship. That’s just one family. First degree of consanguinity up to the fourth degree of consanguinity.)

“Or third degree pa. From Cynthia to the contractors,” he added.

(Or even third degree. From Cynthia to the contractors.)

GMA News Online is trying to get the side of the Villars and will publish their comment as soon as it is available.

Remulla said that the DOJ's investigation will involve all projects.

“Lahat ng klaseng project ‘yan. Kung anong maisip mo, ayun na ‘yun. Kasama ‘yun lahat in the menu. From a small building to roads to hot spot overlay to revetments, lahat ‘yan,” Remulla said.

(All kinds of projects are included. Whatever you can think of, that’s it. All of them are part of the menu. From a small building to roads to hot spot overlay to revetments, all of that.)

Meanwhile, the secretary said that 100 to 200 individuals nationwide may be involved in anomalous flood control projects.

“Everybody. We have district engineers. We have contractors. And congressmen. And, of course, nag i-intersect ‘yung congressmen and contractors dito,” he said. –NB, GMA Integrated News