FLOOD CONTROL SCAM: NBI recommends filing of charges against Estrada, Villanueva

National

GRAFT and corruption charges have been recommended to be filed against Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada in relation to anomalous infrastructure projects.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also recommended the filing of charges against Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, resigned public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and former Caloocan City congresswoman Mitch Cajayon-Uy.

This was announced by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla after the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on anomalies in flood control projects on Tuesday, Sept. 23, a report by Philstar said.

“On the outset they recommended the filing of charges already,” Remulla said.

According to Remulla, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has ordered a freeze on the bank accounts of Villanueva, Estrada and Co.

The NBI cited possible violations of Section 3 of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, indirect bribery under Article 211 of the Revised Penal Code and malversation of public funds under Article 217.

“So far, these are the persons, but we’re still looking at the case of Commissioner (Mario) Lipana and his spouse who was a contractor since it was touched upon by (Henry) Engineer Alcantara,” Remulla said.

Lipana is Audit commissioner Mario Lipana while Alcantara is the former public works district engineer in Bulacan.

It was during the hearing Alcantara disclosed that Lipana had requested a list of Bulacan flood control projects in 2022 and secured allocations of P500 million in 2023, P400 million in 2024 and P500 million in 2025.

The Justice secretary also disclosed that the AMLC based its freeze order on the digital files transmitted by the DOJ. The freeze order also covers the assets of Bernardo, Alcantara and Uy, according to Remulla.

Remulla added that the DOJ is still in the process of determining if there's a need to recommend a freeze order on the assets of Lipana and former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla.

Revilla was also accused of earning kickbacks from public works projects when he was still senator.(MyTVCebu)