Palace: Testimonies key to uncover truth in corruption cases
MALACAÑANG on Monday cautioned potential witnesses in flood control mess cases against being misled by alleged promises of protection.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro issued the statement following a social media post by columnist Ramon Tulfo, which suggested that witnesses have been offered protection in exchange for retracting their previous testimonies.
“If there is any truth to this, witnesses who truly know the facts should not allow themselves to be deceived,” Castro said.
Last week, the lawyer of Senator Joel Villanueva claimed former Public Works engineer Henry Alcantara retracted his earlier statements on his involvement in the flood control project anomalies.
But Department of Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said the DOJ has not received any official recantation from Alcantara, whether written or verbal.
Castro said the administration’s priority is to uncover the truth and hold accountable those truly responsible for corruption.
“What the public needs now the truth right now,” she said.
“These witnesses could be the key to strengthening the fight against corruption,” Castro added.
The Office of the Ombudsman, for its part, brushed off reports that Alcantara, as well as other former DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza were supposedly looking into recanting their statements.
“Seems like noise to us,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said.
“We will only rely on sworn statements. Besides, that would hurt their admission into witness protection,” he added.
Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon earlier said Alcantara was “provisionally admitted” into the Witness Protection Program.
The engineer previously told the Senate that flood control project proponents get as much as 25 to 30 percent of the proposed insertions.
Alcantara has since turned over a total of P110 million in cash that he admitted to illegally obtaining from flood control projects.
Earlier, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson warned that former DPWH officials who recant their sworn statements in ongoing investigations into flood control ghost project scandals face perjury charges and prison sentences of up to 12 years.
Lacson said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will take up the supposed retraction of Alcantara when it meets on January 19.
Personalities such as former congressman Elizaldy Co, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, former Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar, and businessman Meynard Ngu are slated to be served subpoenas to the hearing, Lacson added.
“If they recant, they may be liable for violating the law on perjury, Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code as amended by RA (Republic Act) 11594, which raises the penalty for perjury to up to 12 years,” he said.
“This is aside from a penalty of P1 million and perpetual absolute disqualification if the offender is a government official,” the senator added.
