Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza seek house arrest

Former Bulacan 1st district engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza have asked the Senate to allow them to be placed under house arrest, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said Monday.

Sotto, however, clarified that the Senate blue ribbon committee, the panel which cited the former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials in contempt, has not yet decided on the matter.

“Letter request pa lang meron silang 3 (the three of them only submitted a letter of request). [The Committee] has not decided. Will wait for [Senator] Erwin [Tulfo],” the Senate President said.

Tulfo, as the committee vice chairman, has been named the acting chairperson of the blue ribbon panel.

Hernandez was cited in contempt on September 8, while Alcantara and Mendoza were cited in contempt on September 18.

Another person currently detained in the Senate premises is contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II. His camp earlier filed a habeas corpus petition, but the Senate stood firm in its decision in citing him in contempt, saying that the order was issued within the upper chamber’s constitutional authority. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News