Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla on Wednesday, January 21, said that Department of Public Works and Highways engineer Emelita Juat, the last of former senator Ramon Revilla Jr.’s co-accused, has been arrested in Bulacan province in connection with alleged ghost flood control projects.
Remulla said the arrest of the last co-accused, who was caught late Tuesday night, means all of the accused in the graft case linked to ghost flood control projects in Bulacan are now accounted for.
“So all of them are arrested. All are accounted for already,” Remulla told reporters on the sidelines of a New Year’s call held at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
A police report from the Police Regional Office-3 (Central Luzon) said Juat was arrested in Obando town.
“The tracker team conducted an operation for the service of a warrant of arrest against the accused. Through the combined efforts of the operating units, the surrender of Emelita Capistrano Juat was successfully facilitated,” the police report said.
Central Luzon police chief Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones Jr. emphasized the region’s commitment to the rule of law and accountability.
“The service of this warrant underscores our firm resolve to enforce court orders and ensure that those facing charges are brought before the proper authorities,” Peñones said.
Juat was taken into the custody of the Bulacan 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company for documentation, according to PRO-3.
She later appeared before the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday morning for booking procedures and was ordered detained at Camp Karingal in Quezon City.
Revilla and five Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office officials were earlier taken into custody after the Sandiganbayan Third Division issued warrants of arrest last Monday over an alleged P92.8-million ghost project in Bulacan.
