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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sotto not in favor of granting House arrest to sacked DPWH engineers; here's why

Sotto not in favor of granting House arrest to sacked DPWH engineers; here's why

Published Oct 18, 2025 04:14 pm
If it were up to him, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said that he wouldn't place sacked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st district engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza under house arrest.
Sacked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st district engineers Brice Hernandez, Henry Alcantara and Jaypee Mendoza. (Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin)
Sacked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st district engineers Brice Hernandez, Henry Alcantara and Jaypee Mendoza. (Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin)
"Ito akin lang, di ako payag (This is just my take, I'm not in favor)," he said in an interview on DWIZ on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Sotto confirmed last week that the three made such a request through a letter. According to him, he's still studying it and remains in constant consultation with the members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the panel that cited the trio for contempt. Currently, the panel is headed by Senator Erwin Tulfo as its acting chairman.
"E papaano pag biglang kailangan sila ng ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) o DOJ (Department of Justice) eh pagkatapos hindi mahagilap? (But what if the ICI or the DOJ suddenly needs them, and then they can’t be found?)" Sotto asked.
"Papaano ngayon yan, edi sisisihin kami? Sabihin 'Loko 'to si Sotto pinakawalan' (What happens now? We’ll be the ones blamed. They’ll say, 'This Sotto is a fool for letting them go')," he added.
The three remain under the Senate's custody, as well as contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya.
"At least nakakasiguro naman tayo alam natin kung nasaan sila at hindi basta mawawala na nasa Portugal na, nasa bansa na walang extradition (At least we can be sure, we know where they are, and they won’t just vanish by going to Portugal or to a country without an extradition agreement)," he said.
Sotto stated that if the three can afford to lose hundreds of millions in the casino, they are capable of living overseas.
The Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 298, under Judge Melvin Cydrick Bughao, has dismissed Discaya's Writ of Habeas Corpus. In its decision, the court found the petition to be without merit and upheld the Senate’s authority to exercise its contempt powers.
The ruling effectively affirms that the Senate acted within its constitutional mandate when it ordered Discaya’s detention for contempt.
Discaya had earlier filed the petition seeking his release, claiming irregularities in his continued custody.
The Pasay court, however, ruled that the Senate has the power and discretion to detain individuals cited in contempt in the course of its investigations in aid of legislation.

Related Tags

flood control probe Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) house arrest Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Senate President Vicente \"Tito\" Sotto III
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