Villanueva files counter-affidavit

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Joel Villanueva yesterday filed his counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for a malversation complaint against him in connection with the flood control scam. 

“Yes, he filed his counter-affidavit ahead of the PI (preliminary investigation) this Monday,” DOJ spokesman Raphael Niccolo Martinez confirmed to reporters. 

Villanueva immediately boarded his vehicle after emerging from the DOJ building in Manila. 

The senator is currently being investigated by the DOJ’s prosecution panel for three malversation complaints over alleged ghost flood control projects in Bulacan-awarded construction firms Wawao Builders and Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. 

He was earlier granted an extension until Jan. 26 to file his counter-affidavit in one of the three complaints. 

Aside from Villanueva, also named as respondents in the malversation complaints were former Department of Public Works and Highways Bulacan First District Engineering Office district engineer Henry Alcantara, assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez and Construction Section chief Jaypee Mendoza. 

Alcantara, however, is set to be discharged as respondent in the cases as he has been admitted to the DOJ’s witness protection program to be utilized as witnesses once the cases reach court. 

Villanueva is also facing graft and direct bribery complaints at the DOJ over alleged receipt of P150 million in kickbacks from the flood control scam. He filed his counter-affidavit for these complaints Jan. 5. 

Hernandez was the first one to reveal Villanueva’s alleged receipt of kickbacks from flood control projects in Bulacan.

Alcantara later confirmed during a Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing that he delivered P150 million in kickbacks to Villanueva through the senator’s aide, a certain “Peng.”

Villanueva had previously denied the allegations.