The Office of the Ombudsman aims to create a task force to investigate anomalous flood control projects that could have benefitted the family of former Senate President Manny Villar, including incumbent Senators Mark Villar and Camille Villar.
“We may be putting up a new task force for the River Drive and for the flood control of Las Piñas, Bacoor-Las Piñas area,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said.
At the same time, Remulla said they have uncovered a money trail linking Senator Francis Escudero to corruption in the flood control projects.
In a related development, the Ombudsman dropped broad hints that former Speaker Martin Romualdez might also be charged with “gross inexcusable negligence of duty” in relation to the election of former Cong. Zaldy Co as House appropriations committee chair.
“We will form a (separate) task force just for the Villars. The Zapote River drive, together with the Bacoor properties, the boundaries of the rivers, passage through the river (those areas where the rivers are) were improvements made in that area. That’s one thing that has to be looked into,” Remulla said.
“If you live in that area, you would know that they own the land. You see the river wall. Ask, who spent for that? Is it the government or are they the ones who spent for it? It’s as simple as that. So, we will determine that later. What happened to the project cost?” he added.
Remulla also bared that they are pursuing an investigation to determine the involvement of Escudero into the flood control scandal.
“A probe is ongoing. We have statements of a money trail leading to him… narrations of fact that are there already. But of course, we want to buttress it with other evidence which we’re looking at right now,” he said.
“If you cannot find an Anti-Money Laundering Council trail, then you have to follow a cash trail, and we will find it,” he noted.
Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo earlier claimed delivering 20 percent of approximately P800 million or about P160 million through Maynard Ngu for Escudero.
Remulla, meanwhile, explained that although resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co was elected on the floor, “everybody knows that it was a Speaker’s choice. That is why we have to hold him accountable for that.”
He added that Romualdez could face a complaint of ‘gross inexcusable negligence of duty’ if his responsibility was determined in Co’s appointment.
