National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested former DPWH engineers Bryce Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza at the Senate last night.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division had earlier issued warrants for former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and six others accused in a malversation case involving an alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
It was not known as of press time if Revilla and the rest of the accused have been taken into custody.
Lawyer Dennis Pulma, executive clerk of court of the Sandiganbayan, confirmed that arrest warrants have been issued against the accused.
“After a careful review of the resolution and its supporting documents, as well as the records, the court finds that probable cause exists in this case,” read the January 19 resolution penned by Associate Justice Karl Miranda.
The court also ordered the commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to include the names of the accused in the Hold Departure List.
According to the prosecution, the respondents allegedly conspired to facilitate the release of P76 million for the construction of a P92.8 million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, which was declared completed but was never implemented, based on inspection reports and witness accounts.
The respondents were found to have falsified accomplishment reports, issued fraudulent billing documents, and endorsed disbursement vouchers.
Revilla’s co-accused are Assistant District Engineer Bryce Hernandez, Engineer Jaypee Mendoza, Engineer Arjay Domasig, Engineer Emelita Juat, Juanito Mendoza, and Christina Pineda.
The Sandiganbayan earlier raffled off the malversation and graft cases filed against Revilla over the alleged P92.8 million ghost flood control project.
The malversation case was assigned to the Third Division chaired by Associate Justice Miranda, while the graft case was raffled to the Fourth Division chaired by Associate Justice Michael Musngi, which will handle the charges against Revilla and the six DPWH officials.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice on Monday confirmed that former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan is facing a plunder complaint in connection with anomalous flood control projects nationwide.
“Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan is a respondent in the case filed by the NBI for plunder, among other charges. He is a co-respondent in the same case as Senator Jinggoy Estrada,” Justice spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez said.
Martinez said no subpoena has been issued yet, explaining that this will be done once the case is assigned to a panel of prosecutors.
“As of today, there is no schedule for the preliminary investigation yet. The case will be assigned to a panel of handling prosecutors,” he said.
The plunder complaint against the former DPWH chief is not limited to a single project but covers allegations of ill-gotten wealth amounting to more than P50 million through a series of transactions.
Martinez stressed that the DOJ will continue to act on the pending cases before it, adding that Bonoan must also answer the charges filed against him.
