Pasay City Jail to take custody of ex-DPWH exec Brice Hernandez
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Wednesday, September 10, decided to transfer former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assistant engineer Brice Hernandez from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center to the Pasay City Jail.
Facing the House Committee probing the flood control mess, Hernandez tagged Sens. Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada in kickback schemes, asking the Lower Chamber not to return him to the Senate.
Newly-installed Senate President Tito Sotto had agreed with House Speaker Martin Romualdez to put him in police custody.
However, the newly formed minority bloc was quick to air their concerns.
“The issue here is not only the physical and the legal custody, the issue also is the integrity of the Senate, the perception that if we don't have him here, all the witnesses could say ‘let us not stay there,’” Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said during the plenary session.
“The peculiarity of this case is that it wasn't the House, nor the Senate, nor the PNP, nor the intelligence community making the request. It was the witness,” he added.
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta made the motion to return Hernandez to Senate custody. Marcoleta was the Blue Ribbon Committee Chair when Hernandez was held in contempt and consequently detained in the Senate.
“In order to erase the perception that if he is here in the Senate, he is not safe. I will reject the idea,” Marcoleta said.
The session was temporarily suspended as debates between the senators grew tense.
When the session resumed, the senators reached a consensus.
“I move that we commit Brice Ericson Hernandez to the Pasay City Jail,” Estrada said.
The motion was unopposed and approved.
Estrada also moved that the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms must be strict. The only visitors allowed would be family, lawyers, and priests, he said. Sotto also approved the motion.
Hernandez alleged that Estrada had P355 million in kickback schemes this 2025 alone, while Villanueva had P600 million.
Both senators have vehemently denied the accusations, with Estrada vowing perjury charges against Hernandez.
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