Dizon: Over 40 flood control corruption accused may be jailed this November

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Thursday said over 40 people allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro are expected to be jailed this November. 

“Hindi na maghihintay ng Disyembre. Ngayon lang November ay may makukulong na,” Dizon told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita in an interview.

(We do not have to wait for December. As early as this November, someone will go to jail.)

“Kung pagsasamahin natin yung dalawang kasong yun, 26 yung sa Bulacan kasama na yung mga Discaya doon at saka si (Henry) Alcantara etc. tapos 15 doon sa Mindoro kasama kay former congressman Zaldy Co at kompanya niya, ay halos 40 tao yan na makukulong doon sa dalawang kaso pa lang na yun,” he added.

(In those two cases, 26 in Bulacan including the Discayas and Alcantara et al. then 15 in Mindoro including former congressman Zaldy Co and his company—that’s almost 40 people who will be jailed just for those two cases.)

Criminal charges

According to Dizon, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla earlier said criminal charges in connection with the flood control projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro will be filed either this week or next week. 

“So yun po ang nagbibigay sa atin ng pag-asa linggo na lang ang bibilangin natin o baka araw na lang ay may makakasuhan na. At dahil nga non-bailable itong mga kasong ito ay may makukulong na,” Dizon said. 

(So that's what gives us hope. We'll only have a few weeks or maybe a few days until some perpetrators are charged. And because these cases are non-bailable, someone will be jailed.)

Co has yet to return to the country since being implicated in the flood control controversy. His legal counsel, Ruy Rondain, earlier claimed that Remulla had already prejudged his client.

Co has also consistently denied these accusations and vowed to address them in a proper forum.

ICI

Meanwhile, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is now prioritizing 80 of the initial 421 flood control projects under probe for corruption, its special adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Wednesday. 

“Out of the 421, we are prioritizing the 80 projects na ang involved diyan are the 15 or 18 na contractors na minention ni [President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.],” Azurin said in an ambush interview before an ICI meeting at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Azurin said the ICI is now gathering bid documents through the help of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which, he noted, have subpoena power. 

“So, we need to study 'yung bid documents. Ibabangga namin 'yan sa actual na implementation,” he said.

(So, we need to study the bid documents. We will compare that with the actual implementation.) —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News