THE Department of Justice (DOJ) will be looking into the alleged ‘prohibited interest’ of the Villar family in the estimated P18.5 billion infrastructure projects in Las Piñas City.
At a press briefing, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the investigation is necessary following a news report that a close relative owns a construction firm that undertook several infrastructure projects, including flood-control projects, in the city.
Among those likely to be investigated are Senator Mark Villar, who served as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte; Senator Camille Villar, who also served as congresswoman of the lone district of Las Piñas in the 19th Congress; and former businesswoman Cynthia Villar, who served as a senator from 2013 to 2025 and congresswoman for the city’s lone district from 2001 to 2010.
‘Yes, because of that prohibited interest with his cousin being a contractor in Las Pinas,’ Remulla said when asked if the Villars are among those to be investigated.
Remulla stressed that the actual amount of the projects bagged by the said contractor will still have to be determined.
The DOJ secretary is also not discounting the possibility of inviting the Villars at the DOJ to shed light on their alleged ‘prohibited interest’ in infrastructure projects in the city.
‘Later on, we will have to build up everything. This is just one case among the 67 other cases happening in Congress,’ Remulla said.
Meanwhile, former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo appeared before the DOJ anew to further shed light on the involvement of lawmakers and other individuals in anomalous multi-billion flood control projects of the government.
‘Our case build-up is continuing, it’s going to be a long one considering the complications that are here,’ the DOJ secretary said.
Remulla noted that they are looking into the possible prohibited interests of 67 congressmen flood control projects.
He noted that more than 200 individuals may be involved in the anomaly including lawmakers, contractors and .
The DOJ chief noted that it’ is no longer a secret in Congress that some of congressmen are actually involved in construction business.
‘Everybody knows about it in Congress, that many of their colleagues are contractors also. And this is a prohibited activity..The people don’t care anymore if it is against the law because no one’s going to run after them, they think. But it’s something that we have to address and we will do it,’ Remulla stressed.
‘We have to look at it in totality and how crazy it has become, so that we can address each and every problem with a law that best fits the situation,’ he said.