Some of the flood control projects cases – including those involving contractors SYMS Construction and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. – will be out for resolution “next week,” Prosecutor-General Richard Anthony Fadullon said.
“There are cases which would be out for resolution by early next week and then we have the Bureau of Internal Revenue cases which are already ongoing preliminary investigation,” he said.
SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos was earlier named a state witness by the Department of Justice, along with former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara, former DPWH-NCR Regional Director Gerard Opulencia.
As this developed, Fadullon said the DOJ will issue subpoenas next week to Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. as it begins the preliminary investigation into plunder cases against the two over allegedly anomalous flood control projects.
“This coming week, we will be issuing the subpoenas already in connection with those cases, meaning to say a preliminary investigation will begin with them,” Fadullon said.
He said the cases stemmed from fact-finding activities conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation in coordination with state prosecutors. The findings were later referred to the Office of the Ombudsman for evaluation.
Aside from Estrada and Revilla, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co is also facing a plunder complaint connected to the same set of cases.
In November, Bernardo testified before a Senate Blue Ribbon hearing that he delivered P125 million to Revilla’s residence in 2024, along with another P250 million delivered by his staff prior to the 2025 elections, in exchange for facilitating or endorsing flood control projects.
Revilla has denied all allegations, while Estrada also maintained his innocence.
“He has consistently denied baseless allegations against him,” Estrada’s lawyer Bianca Soriano said.
