Contractor tagged in flood anomaly willing to tell all - DOJ

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said a potential whistleblower has signified intention to testify about the massive corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) involving flood control projects.

- 

At a press conference yesterday, Remulla said a lawyer, representing one of the 15 contractors earlier identified by President Marcos to have cornered a majority of contracts for flood control projects of the DPWH, recently approached him and signified his client's intention to be a state witness.

"I've been approached by a lawyer representing a potential whistleblower. He has given me an idea of what happened in one of the projects in Central Luzon, in projects worth P5 billion. Ghost projects," Remulla said. "He is a lawyer of one of the companies in the top 15 mentioned by the President." Remulla said his conversation with the lawyer of the potential whistleblower happened on Saturday last week.

"He is not yet a whistleblower. He (through his lawyer) just gave me an idea about how contractor got 40 percent and the DPWH also took certain amount. And how checks can be easily encashed by DPWH even if they are payable to contractors," Remulla said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Remulla said the camp of the whistleblower must write a letter to the Department of Justice formally signifying their intention to help the government in its fight against corruption and that they are willing to divulge information, and that they want the assurance of the government that they will be protected.

"Whistleblowers are welcome... Since we have a witness protection program, they can actually go to the DOJ for this," Remulla said.

Remulla, however, clarified that the DOJ is not yet investigating the DPWH flood control project controversy and would defer and assist in a possible investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Validation teams