Pre-trial for malversation raps vs. ex-DPWH engineers in flood control mess set in April

The pre-trial hearing for the malversation cases against ex-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assistant engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza and several others over alleged anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan has been scheduled for April.

According to Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Polo Martinez, the pre-trial hearing for the two cases will be on April 13 at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 79.

These are two of the three cases filed against Hernandez, Mendoza, and others over flood control projects in Bulacan involving SYMS Construction.

The cases were filed on January 30, February 9, and February 13 with a Bulacan court, Martinez said on Wednesday.

However, the cases were later transferred to a Quezon City court designated as a special court for corruption-related cases.

Hernandez and Mendoza are detained at the New Quezon City Jail along with other respondents in the flood control mess.

Meanwhile, Martinez said SYMS owner and contractor Sally Santos and former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara were dropped as respondents in the cases due to their admission as state witnesses.

The official added that the respondents in these cases were arraigned in the first week of March.

“Thus, trial commenced on the dates that the accused were arraigned,” Martinez said. — JMA, GMA Integrated News