Discayas, former DPWH engineers now considered ‘protected witnesses’
Former Department of Public Works and Highways engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza, and contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya, are now considered protected witnesses in the flood control probe, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
Following their recent Senate testimony—in which they named several lawmakers in alleged budget insertions and kickbacks for flood control projects—Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza went to the Department of Justice for evaluation under the Witness Protection Program.
“Iyong tatlong taga-DPWH so far na nagsasalita sa amin are considered protected witness. We just wrote a letter to the Senate President about that status, and hopefully we can talk about it tomorrow morning,” Remulla told the press on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
"We will be needing their cooperation and will be needing more time for them to be able to gather different documents that are important to us kasi diyan talaga nakasalalay ang ebidensya na hinaharap. Hindi lang 'to kwento, pero merong mga notes, ledgers, at lahat ng kasama na maaaring magturo sa mga taong may pananagutan."
Additionally, Remulla said that the Discayas are also considered protected witnesses. He also elaborated on the distinction between a protected and a state witness.
"Pwede na rin silang (Discayas) protected witnesses," Remulla said. "Pero yung state witness na status kasi, we are 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."
"Ang protected witness kasi, kaya ginawa ang witness protection program, para ang mga testigo sa mga kaso ay hindi masaktan at hindi pagtangkaan ang buhay, kaya iyan ay isang katungkulan na aming tinutupad,” he continued.
Palace reacts
Following this, the Palace stated that the Discaya couple must first return any money they allegedly stole from the government before their application for the Witness Protection Program can be considered.
During a briefing on Wednesday, Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro clarified this, stating, "Totoo naman na hindi categorically nakasaad na dapat may iba pang mga requirements bago masubject o mabigyan ng benepisyo ang isang witness under the Witness Protection Program."
Citing Republic Act No. 6981, Section 5, Paragraph E, she emphasized that the DOJ has the authority to set reasonable conditions.
"Malaya po na makapagbibigay ng resonableng requirements o kondisyon ang DOJ bago maisama ang isama ang isang witness under the WPP," she said.
Castro explained that a person entering the WPP must tell the whole truth, which includes admitting their faults and turning over any stolen money.
"Unang una po, kapag sinabi po natin na sasalang dito, sila po ay kinakailangang magsalita, magsabi ng katotohanan. Buong katotohanan. Tell-all kumbaga. Kapag sinabi nilang tell-all, ibig sabihin pati yung mga liabilities nila ay dapat na maisawala. At kapag may pag-amin na sa kanilang isinawalat ng kanilang diumanong pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan, hindi po ba nararapat din na isauli nila ito upang makita ang kanilang good faith instead na hintayin pa na ang gobyerno ang magsampa ng kaso sa kanila?"
She stressed that since these witnesses are seeking government protection, they should also help them in return.
"Ang mga witness na nag nagnanais ng proteksyon mula sa gobyerno ay humihing ng tulong sa gobyerno. Hindi po ba dapat din na sila'y dapat din magbalik sa gobyerno habang sila ay prinoproteksyonan? Gagastusan sila ng gobyerno, so kailangan din po na sila ay tumulong sa gobyerno," Castro said.
"Bakit pa natin hihintayin na ang gobyerno ay magsampa ng kaso para mabawi ang mga nanakaw nila kung sila naman mismo ang umaamin na sila ay may ninanakaw sa gobyerno."
On Tuesday, Alcantara accused retired DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Joel Villanueva, and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, as well as former senator Bong Revilla, as being proponents of anomalous flood control initiatives.
He claimed Bernardo, as his "boss," released hundreds of millions of pesos in funds for projects, of which 25% go to the likes of Estrada and Villanueva.
The four denied the accusations.