Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said he wants a special division at the Sandiganbayan that will try all cases related to the alleged anomalies that plagued the flood control projects.
After his orientation in his new office, the Office of the Ombudsman, Remulla revealed he will be meeting with Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg next week to ask for a ‘continuous trial’ on the flood control projects-related cases and ensure no delays in trying these cases that he deemed as ‘complicated’ cases.
But Remulla stressed that he wants to iron things out first on the pending cases at the Ombudsman before making indictments against the involved personalities who are mostly high-ranking engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and contractors, including the most prominent one, Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya.
‘The style that I really prefer here is that when we file the case [at the Sandiganbayan], we are ready for trial,’ Remulla told reporters at his first press conference as the Ombudsman. ‘This is to ask for a continuous trial and that there won’t be any delays.’
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon had filed graft and malversation through falsification charges last month against the DPWH engineers and the contractors over the faulty projects in the first district engineering office in Bulacan.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), meanwhile, recommended the same charges, but including indirect bribery. Their recommendation also included charges to be filed against former and incumbent lawmakers embroiled in the controversy including former Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr., resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, former Caloocan Rep. Mitzi Lim Cajayon-Uy, Sen. Francis Escudero, and former Sen. Nancy Binay, among others.
Remulla, the former justice secretary, said most of the cases recommended by the NBI will be adopted depending on its gravity and how fast it can be processed.
‘We will look at the way that we want the cases to appear when we file them because what we are looking for is the fastest process possible, what crimes we can charge against them,’ he said.
To streamline the process of the cases related to the flood control projects, Remulla said he will discuss with Econg and with the Supreme Court the possible creation of a special division that will try the cases.
‘But only if needed and our dialogue with the Sandiganbayan will be open for everyone’s ideas,’ Remulla said. /mr