Ex-DPWH exec Alcantara surrenders P110 M to DOJ

The government has secured the first restitution of public funds from the flood control scam, as dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) engineer Henry Alcantara yesterday turned over a total of P110 million in cash he admitted to have illegally amassed from flood control projects.

- ELIZABETH MARCELO

"This is a portion of the agreed restitution amount... This is part of the P300-million committed amount for restitution (by Alcantara)," Department of Justice acting Secretary Fredderick Vida told the media after the ceremonial turnover of the cash by Alcantara, represented by his lawyer Emil Joven.

Also present were representatives from Land Bank of the Philippines and the Bureau of Treasury (BTr).

Vida said the cash will undergo authenticity verification by the Landbank before it will be remitted to the BTr.

He said Alcantara committed to return to the government a total of P300 million in illegally amassed wealth from the flood control project anomalies, an amount reached by DOJ investigators based the engineer's own sworn testimonies about kickbacks or commissions he received from the flood control projects implemented by the DPWH 1st DEO.

Vida said Alcantara asked for additional time to return the rest of the amount, as the latter was finding it hard to gather the money while detained at the Senate.

The restitution came as Vida announced that Alcantara, as well as former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, are now provisionally admitted to the DOJ's Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Vida said Bernardo has committed to initially return P7 million out of around P1 billion he had allegedly illegally obtained from the scam.

He said Bernardo's frozen bank accounts are "under process" by the Anti-Money Laundering Council so that their cash balances can be turned over to the government.