Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday urged caution and adherence to due process following the recommendation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to file criminal charges against several lawmakers, including Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada.
Sotto said the Senate must avoid premature judgment and respect the rule of law amid the commission’s recommendation to the Office of the Ombudsman to pursue plunder, bribery, and graft complaints linked to alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
“There are constitutional, legal and political issues to these investigations. And there will be as many opinions as there are lawyers,” he said.
“I would rather be prudent and follow the rule of law and avoid putting the Senate in the line of fire,” the senate chief added.
Former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez earlier claimed that Villanueva and Estrada received at least 30 percent in kickbacks from nearly P1 billion worth of flood control contracts.
Estrada also on Wednesday rejected the accusations against him, calling the testimonies “hearsay” and vowing to defend himself in court.
“I did not receive any funds intended for flood control projects, and I can prove this in court. The allegations against me are all hearsay or based merely on rumors,” the senator asserted.
“I am ready to defend myself and go through any legal process to prove that I am telling the truth,” he added.
Villanueva also denied involvement, saying he has consistently opposed flood control projects and even questioned their implementation in the past.
He said his lawyers are reviewing the basis of his inclusion in the ICI report and will respond accordingly once the Ombudsman takes action.
“Nevertheless, records of the Senate will show that I have been against flood control projects from the very beginning. I was the one who exposed and questioned these flood control projects that have not been implemented,” Villanueva said.
