1st batch of flood control raps filed by November 25

MANILA, Philippines — About 14 to 15 public officials are likely to be charged when the Office of the Ombudsman files at the Sandiganbayan the first batch of cases related to the flood control scam on or before Nov. 25.

In a press briefing yesterday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the cases would be filed by his office and the Department of Justice (DOJ), which he had earlier deputized to investigate five flood control projects in Bulacan.

He said that while the flood control projects in Bulacan currently under preliminary investigation by the DOJ mostly involved district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under Salary Grade 25 and below, further investigation revealed that there is one higher official “indictable” at the Sandiganbayan.

“We would rather that we file the case [first] then we name the official,” Remulla said.

As for the cases that will come from the ombudsman, Remulla said they will cover those undergoing preliminary investigation for several weeks already, including the flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro implemented by private contractor Sunwest Inc.

In its first interim report transmitted to the ombudsman early this month, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) urged the ombudsman to determine appropriate charges against 18 public officials, including the now-resigned Ako Bicol party-list congressman Zaldy Co, the co-founder of Sunwest.

Subject of the ICI report are P289.5 million worth of flood control projects in Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro implemented by the DPWH Region IV-B through Sunwest in 2024.

Remulla said among the cases to be filed are bribery, indirect bribery, malversation of public funds and falsification of public documents.

Asked about the number of public officials to be charged, Remulla answered: “For public officials, including the district officers, about 14 to 15 people.”

Remulla, however, refused to categorically confirm whether there would be senators in the first batch of cases.

The Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over public officials which fall under Salary Grade 27 and above.

Remulla gave assurance that the cases to be filed are strong enough to stand trial and secure the conviction of the accused.

Probe vs Jinggoy, Joel, Zaldy

The Office of the Ombudsman will expedite the review of the interim report transmitted by the ICI which recommended the criminal prosecution of Co, senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva and three other former and incumbent government officials in connection with the flood control scam.

Remulla said the ICI report will no longer undergo a case build or fact-finding investigation but will go straight to preliminary investigation as there are already several pieces of evidence submitted along with the report.

“Most of the fact-finding has been done already by the ICI… which makes the facts already vetted or validated already. It is faster this way,” Remulla said.

In a 19-page interim report filed at the ombudsman yesterday, the ICI recommended the prosecution of Estrada, Villanueva, Co, former Caloocan congresswoman Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy, Commission on Audit commissioner Mario Lipana and former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.