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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ: Those seeking to be state witnesses in flood control mess must return stolen funds

DOJ: Those seeking to be state witnesses in flood control mess must return stolen funds

Published Oct 23, 2025 05:22 pm
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, Oct. 23, reiterated that those seeking to be state witnesses in the cases on the anomalous flood control projects must return the stolen government funds.
“Kailangan ibalik ang ninakaw na pera sa kaban ng bayan (The money stolen from public coffers must be returned),” said DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes T. Andres.
He said it will be a useless endeavor to run after those involved in anomalies if the stolen money is not returned to the government.
Andres is the DOJ’s Law Enforcement Cluster head and undersecretary-in-charge of the National Prosecution Service.
He was questioned by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta during the recent Senate budget deliberations on the insistence of the DOJ to seek restitution from those seeking to become state witnesses.
Marcoleta told the DOJ that Republic Act (RA) No. 6981, the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act, has no provision that requires restitution for those seeking to become state witnesses.
But Andres countered: “It cannot be denied that restitution of stolen government funds is an integral part of justice.”
He cited that “Section 5(d) of RA No. 6981 requires that an applicant for state witness must comply with his legal obligations under the law.”
“The legal obligation is the restitution of stolen government funds,” he pointed out.
Andres stressed: “Any person who has misappropriated government funds has the legal obligation to return the same.”
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