Subpoenas over plunder complaints vs. Estrada, Revilla eyed this week — DOJ

The Department of Justice (DOJ) may issue subpoenas over the separate plunder complaints filed against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla within the week, Prosecutor General Richard “Dong” Fadullon said Thursday.

“Hopefully, subpoenas may be issued within the week,” Fadullon said during the Pandesal Forum.

He added that the preliminary hearings may be set at the end of the month. 

Aside from this, the DOJ is also conducting preliminary investigations on six malversation complaints over alleged anomalous flood control projects involving Wawao Builders and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. 

Senator Joel Villanueva is a respondent in three of the six complaints.

The DOJ said Villanueva was given until January 26 to submit his counter-affidavit.

Fadullon also said that charges may be filed before Philippine courts or the Sandiganbayan by the middle of February.

Meanwhile, he appealed to the public’s patience when asked about statements that those responsible for anomalous flood control projects would be jailed by December 2025.

“Madali po magsampa ng kaso. Ang mahirap po patunayan ‘yung kaso, so kinakailangan na ang kasong isasampa mo ay may matibay na ebidensya para matiyak mo naman na ‘yung resultang gusto mong makuha, makukuha mo,” he said.

(It is easy to file a case. What is hard is to prove the case, so it is necessary that the case you file has solid evidence so you can be sure that the result you want to get, you will get.)

On Monday, the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against Revilla and six other individuals over an alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.

Revilla surrendered Monday night to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame.

He was transferred to the jail facility on Tuesday.

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. —VAL, GMA Integrated News