DOJ: Revilla, Jinggoy facing plunder raps over flood control projects

Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. are facing plunder complaints over flood control infrastructure projects, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday.

DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez told reporters that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed separate plunder complaints with the department against Revilla and Estrada.

The NBI had previously lodged a plunder complaint against former Ako-Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, another key figure in the flood control controversy.

"The high-profile personalities that the public may be interested in are Senator Bong Revilla, Zaldy Co and Senator Jinggoy Estrada," Martinez said in a media briefing.

"Three separate cases of plunder against each one of them respectively," he said.

Martinez added that in the first case, potential violations involve Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards.

The preliminary investigation for the complaint against Co was held on January 5, Martinez said.

GMA News Online has requested comment from Revilla and Estrada, but they have yet to respond as of posting time.

Earlier, the DOJ said it has conducted its preliminary investigation into six other cases pertaining to flood control projects of Wawao Construction and Topnotch Catalyst Builders. Of the six, two involve separate complaints filed against Revilla and Senator Joel Villanueva. 

Revilla has also denied any involvement in "ghost" or non-existent flood control projects in Bulacan following his inclusion as a respondent in two complaints filed with the DOJ.

Estrada, meanwhile, has "categorically and vehemently" denied claims by former Public Works and Highways Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez of allegedly pocketing kickbacks in flood control projects.

For his part, Co has dismissed allegations against him over the controversy as "false." — VDV, GMA Integrated News