DOJ task force on 'anomalous' flood control projects 'will not spare anyone' – SOJ Remulla
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, Sept. 17, assured it will not spare anyone in its investigations on the “anomalous” flood control projects of the government.
The assurance was aired by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla after he signed a department order that created the Public Works Corruption and Bid Rigging Task Force.
The signing of the order was confirmed by DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes T. Andres who is the DOJ official in charge of the task force which will be composed of various units of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Andres said the task force will have investigators and experts, including accountants who will conduct forensic accounting.
Also, he said, the task force will look into money laundering and, if warranted, will conduct seizure and freeze of properties.
“Ilulunsad po natin ito kaagad-agad dahil meron na nga po tayong ine-report na mga ghost projects na nakuha na (We will launch this immediately since we already discovered ghost projects),” he also said.
Andres said that the NBI has found at least five “ghost” projects.
He also said the DOJ’s task force will be closely working with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) that was created by President Marcos to look into the anomalies.
Meanwhile, Remulla said the DOJ will also conduct a review of the department’s other construction projects and find out if these were done by any of the 15 construction firms cited by President Marcos as the top contractors for government flood control projects.
He said the move was prompted by the discovery that the construction of the NBI headquarters was bagged by two firms belonging to spouses Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya who have been linked to the anomalies in the government flood control projects.
“Very close to home. Kaya hindi po natin papayagan na lumusot ito at malugi naman ang gobyerno sa ganitong usapan (That’s why we will not allow such things to slip through and have the government placed in a disadvantage),” he also said.