MANILA, Philippines — Umabot na sa mahigit ₱841 milyon ang perang narekober ng gobyerno mula sa mga indibidwal na sangkot umano sa mga anomalya sa flood control projects, ayon sa Department of Justice (DOJ).
“To date, PHP841 million in cash has been recovered from those involved and remitted to the National Treasury through the Land Bank of the Philippines,” saad ng DOJ sa isang pahayag nitong Miyerkoles.
Tiniyak ng ahensya na magpapatuloy ang pagtugis sa mga nasa likod ng mga ghost flood control project.
“The work continues. We will recover the people’s money,” ayon sa DOJ.
Nagpasalamat din ang DOJ kay Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa ipinahayag nitong tiwala sa National Prosecution Service sa kaniyang ikalimang State of the Nation Address nitong Lunes.
“The President’s message was plain: what is recovered belongs to the Filipino people, and those who betrayed the public trust must answer before the courts,” sinabi ng DOJ.
“The Department of Justice will do its part in close coordination with the Office of the Ombudsman, whose constitutional mandate we respect absolutely. Where the law places a case in our hands, we will build it to the standards that stand in court. That is what the rule of law requires, and what the Filipino people deserve.”
Ayon sa DOJ, nagmula ang narekober na halaga sa apat na indibidwal na tinanggap sa Witness Protection Program ng gobyerno.
Nagsauli si dating Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo ng ₱500 milyon sa magkakahiwalay na hulog mula Enero 13 hanggang Mayo 29.
Nagsauli rin si dating DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara ng ₱181.4 milyon, habang isinuko ni suspendidong National Capital Region District Engineer Gerard Opulencia ang ₱140 milyon. Nagbalik naman si SYMS Construction Trading owner Sally Santos ng ₱20 milyon. Jocelyn Tabangcura-Domenden
