Ex-DPWH regional director returns P40M kickbacks to gov’t — DOJ

Gerard Opulencia, a former regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), has returned P40 million to the government, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday.

Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the amount is only part of the P150 million in kickbacks that Opulencia aims to return.

"Ito ay dineklara niya na kanyang kinita mula sa iba't ibang mga proyekto na illegal niyang nakuha," he said.

Although he is a respondent in a complaint involving a ghost flood control project in Bulacan, Prosecutor General Richard “Dong” Fadullon said the money is from other transactions that were done while he was still a director.

“Pero ‘yung pagsasauli ng pera ay base doon sa mga transaksyon na iba, na kinasangkutan niya noong siya ay nasa NCR pa. At 'yun ang pinag basehan ng isasaoli,” Fadullon said.

(But the return of the money is based on other transactions that he was involved in when he was still in the NCR. And that is what the amount of money to be returned is based on.)

Fadullon said Opulencia is denying receiving kickbacks over the flood control projects.

“So far as to ‘yung flood control projects, wala siyang tinanggap na pera doon (he did not accept any money from that),” he said.

Opulencia was previously mentioned by former Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo as one of the engineers that former lawmaker Zaldy Co allegedly transacted with.

Meanwhile, DOJ officials said Opulencia is now provisionally accepted to the Department’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).

“Pero ‘yung kanyang testimonya ay mahalaga kaya kinonsider siya na pasukin at tanggapin sa loob ng programa (But his testimony was considered important and so he was accepted to the program),” Fadullon said.

At present, only Opulencia, Bernardo, and dismissed Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara are under provisional acceptance.

Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said former first district assistant engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza are no longer accepted.

When asked about the reason for their removal, Martinez said he was not privy to the discussions of the panel.

“Not privy to discussions by the panel that assessed the materiality of their testimonies,” Martinez said.

“At any rate, the matters related to their admission are confidential under the WPSB law. Ang may MOA lang po as of today as the 3 individuals mentioned,” he added.

Alcantara has returned P110 million to the government in November. He is expected to return around P200 million more to the government. — BAP, GMA Integrated News