Co-accused of Bong Revilla arrested in Benguet

Authorities arrested early Tuesday one of the co-accused of former senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. in connection with the alleged P92.8 million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

Arrested in Barangay Bangao, Buguias, Benguet was Christina Mae del Rosario Pineda, 38, cashier of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office.

Pineda was nabbed at 12:40 a.m. by personnel of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group - Mountain Province Provincial Field Unit and 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company of Benguet Police Provincial Office.

She was arrested at a checkpoint near Sagada while allegedly attempting to evade authorities, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“Nahuli siya sa may Sagada. Tumakas at nahuli siya," Remulla said.

(She was arrested near Sagada. She fled and was caught.)

The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order on Monday against Revilla and six others, including Pineda, who are facing malversation charges in connection with the said flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

The arrest warrant was issued by Associate Justice Karl Miranda. No bail was recommended.

Aside from Revilla and Pineda, included in the arrest warrant were

• former DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO) assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez;
• former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Jaypee Mendoza;
• former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Arjay Domasig; 
• former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Emelita Juat; and
• former DPWH Bulacan First DEO finance section chief Juanito Mendoza.

Revilla went to Camp Crame and surrendered to the PNP-CIDG on Monday night. 

Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza were arrested by National Bureau of Investigation operatives at the Senate on Monday.

Domasig and Juanito Mendoza were also arrested by authorities.

Only former DPWH Bulacan First DEO Engr. Emelita Juat remains at-large. —KG, GMA Integrated News