DOJ: 3 sacked engineers, Discayas considered ‘protected witnesses'

After being pilloried for their lavish lifestyles believed bankrolled through anomalous implementation of flood control projects, contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya and three former public works officials are now considered “protected witnesses.”

- DAPHNE GALVEZ

This was according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who said his office is coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) for a security arrangement for the Discaya couple and for dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza.

Remulla made it clear that the five were not yet under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Hernandez and Mendoza were at the Department of Justice yesterday for an evaluation of their request to be admitted to the WPP.

The Discaya couple and Alcantara had also gone to the DOJ for their respective evaluations.

"We're very careful about that.

It takes a lot of doing to declare a person as a state witness because you're freeing them completely from criminal liability. What's needed is complete information," Remulla said.

"We will give them security, we will inform the PNP of their whereabouts so it can send men to secure them. We will make them feel they're not being abandoned," he said.

He clarified that the five people would not be under DOJ custody.

The DOJ and the Senate will just coordinate their protection.

Remulla said the DOJ is digging up more information into the flood control anomalies, particularly the "historical perspective" or where or how it all started.