The Department of Justice (DOJ) has turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman for assessment and review the department’s findings, following its investigation into the alleged anomalous flood control projects.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon and DOJ officer-in-charge Frederick Vida formally transmitted the documents to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla during a press briefing on Tuesday.
According to Fadullon, they turned over five cases related to the alleged ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.
‘There are five cases which are being turned over now to the Office of the Ombudsman involving officials from the district office and the contractors who are involved,’ Fadullon told reporters.
‘These involve cases of malversation under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, falsification by public officers under Article 171 of the RPC, perjury under Article 183 of the RPC, and Section 3e of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act),’ he specified.
Fadullon said the department is just awaiting instructions from the Ombudsman as to ‘whether or not they can proceed with the preliminary investigation of these cases’ after the necessary evaluation.
‘It doesn’t mean that this ends here. There are more to come, but there is what we call a process that needs to be done wherein we make sure that there is evidence before filing a case,’ he explained.
Earlier, Remulla said the flood control cases would be among his priorities, particularly those filed by the Independent Commission on Infrastructure, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Public Works and Highways through Secretary Vince Dizon. /apl