With or without witnesses, DOJ filing flood control cases

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will not depend on the supposed “tell-all” testimonies of witnesses such as the Discaya couple and former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the flood control mess as it will file cases based on evidence gathered.

- By DAPHNE GALVEZ

DOJ officer-in-charge Fred-derick Vida said the agency will file cases, “with or without state witnesses,” if they don’t find “something satisfactory” in the testimonies of the Discayas and former DPWH officials.

The application of Sarah and Curlee Discaya, as well as former DPWH officials Henry Alcantara, Brice Ericson Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, as state witnesses is still under evaluation.

They have since been declared protected witnesses but are still seeking to become state witnesses under the Witness Protection Program of the DOJ.

“So far, we are not yet in a state where the department is happy or satisfied with the testimonies they presented,” Vida said at a press briefing.

“We will build the cases based on the evidence we have. What we can assure the Filipino people is that we will only file strong cases,” he added.

Former Bulacan first district assistant engineers Hernandez and Mendoza had submitted a “tell-all” affidavit to the DOJ over the flood control controversy, according to their lawyer Ernest Levanza.

The Discaya couple also gave a “tell-all” testimony to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which is doing a parallel investigation.

However, Vida said the DOJ has yet to receive a “tell-all” affidavit from the supposed witnesses.