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Ombudsman Remulla: State witnesses in flood control mess should not hold back
CAMP JOHN HAY, BAGUIO CITY – Those who want to be state witnesses in the flood control mess cases must not withhold any information, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Tuesday.
“There are a lot of those who want to be state witnesses, but I am telling my team, pag hindi forthcoming ang testigo (if the witness is not forthcoming), we will not honor. We will not honor any immunity pag hindi forthcoming ang testigo (if the witness is not forthcoming),” he said in a press briefing on the sidelines of the Ombudsman’s office strategic planning session here.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on state witnesses in flood control cases: Kapag hindi forthcoming ang testigo, hindi namin i-o-honor ang immunity [deal] @gmanews pic.twitter.com/SeQ5O6keNK
— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) February 10, 2026
“Kinakailangan talaga, forthcoming ang testigo. Pag meron silang iniiwasan ang topic o subject, magbabago lahat “yan,” Remulla added.
(We really need them to be forthcoming. If they are avoiding certain topics, then their status will change.)
Remulla noted that coming up with formidable state witnesses in the flood control controversy cases could take some time.
“A lot of people want to be state witnesses, but we need to develop them one by one. Kasi nga, ang problema nito, ang tao iniisip, ang politics. ‘Yung political for the next few years iniisip nila, ah, bagong gobyerno, libre na kami,” Remulla said.
(A lot of people want to be state witnesses, but we need to develop them one by one. The problem is most people are thinking about politics, the politics for the next few years. They think they will go scot-free once the administration changes.)
“Hindi po ganun ‘yan. Tuloy-tuloy po (It doesn’t work that way. The cases will go on),” he added.
There are two pending flood control-related cases before the Sandiganbayan. These are:
- The malversation and graft charges filed against resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and 16 others in connection with the P289 million allegedly substandard flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, and;
- The malversation and graft charges filed against ex-Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and several others over the alleged P92.8 million ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
— JMA, GMA Integrated News
