DOJ: Subpoenas vs. Jinggoy, Revilla over flood control mess out next week

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to issue subpoenas next week against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla as they face separate plunder complaints in relation to the flood control corruption scandal.

At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DOJ Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said the Justice Department "this coming week, we will be issuing the subpoenas already in connection with those cases, meaning to say magsisimula na po 'yung PI [preliminary investigation] sa kanila (meaning to say the preliminary investigation for their complaints will begin)."

On Thursday, DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed separate plunder complaints with the DOJ against Revilla and Estrada.

"Kumbaga nag-fact finding riyan ang NBI katulong ng ating mga prosecutors, at matapos nu'n nagkaroon ng rekomendasyon or referral sa Office of the Ombudsman, and the Office of the Ombudsman evaluates whether or not there is sufficient evidence to proceed," Fadullon said.

(The NBI conducted fact-finding in cooperation with our prosecutors, after which there was a recommendation or referral to the Office of the Ombudsman. The office then evaluates whether or not there is sufficient evidence to proceed.)

"So we just received the records back, it was [re]turned back by the Office of the Ombudsman," Fadullon added.

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

Revilla has 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.

Not just Bulacan

Also during the forum, Martinez said plunder cases involving Revilla and Estrada are "not localized in Bulacan."

"'Yung sa plunder case dahil may amount involve diyan eh that encompasses not just projects in Bulacan but nationwide. Hindi localized sa Bulacan," the DOJ spokesperson said.

Former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, another key figure in the flood control mess, is facing a separate plunder complaint before the DOJ.

The preliminary investigation for the complaint against Co was held of January 5.

Last Friday, the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft and malversation charges against Revilla, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan Assistant District Engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, and four others over the alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. — VDV, GMA Integrated News