DPWH man yields luxury car, gives ICI ‘good lead’
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) held its first hearing on Friday without media fanfare. But behind closed doors, its inquiry into alleged public works anomalies that had enraged the nation appeared to have taken off on a promising note.
As the first person to be summoned by the ICI, Brice Ericson Hernandez, the former assistant district engineer for Bulacan of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), gave what one official described as a “tell-all.’’
Hernandez also surrendered one of his luxury vehicles as a “sign of good faith” and to demonstrate his willingness to cooperate with the ICI. He is expected to hand over more cars as well as motorcycles.
In an interview, ICI special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Hernandez was very cooperative and divulged “very sensitive information” that are substantial to the investigation on anomalous flood control projects.
Hernandez, however, declined to be interviewed by reporters.
“Brice was very cooperative. His revelations were very relevant. And to cut it short, he was very tell-all,” Magalong said. “[He provided] very sensitive information. It’s a good lead for investigators.”
Hernandez also assured the body of continued cooperation in the identification of other liable persons, the mayor added.
Asked if Hernandez gave further information about the senators he named in a recent hearing at the House of Representatives, Magalong said: “All I can say is that he mentioned many more things that were not mentioned before […] He gave all the relevant information.”
Hernandez earlier linked Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva to an alleged kickback scheme behind flood control projects. The two senators denied the accusations and confronted the former DPWH employee at the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday.
In the hearing, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson admonished Hernandez for supposedly lying under oath, particularly about the dates and amounts of money he allegedly received from Sally Santos, owner of SYMS Construction Trading, a major flood works contractor. Santos was also present in the hearing.
For a much-anticipated inquiry, the first ICI hearing started without ceremony or big announcements.
In a text message around noon on Friday, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez informed reporters that retired Supreme Court Associate Justice and ICI chair Andres Reyes Jr. was “requesting” immediate media coverage of the hearing at the ICI office located in the National Cybercrime Hub in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
But upon arrival at the building at past 1 p.m., journalists learned that the hearing was off-limits to the press.
Around 3:30 p.m., a copy of Reyes’ statement was released to the media confirming that Hernandez attended the hearing and would turn over one of his luxury cars to the commission.
“From the very start, Mr. Hernandez answered all questions freely and voluntarily without evasion and showed full cooperation,” the statement read.
Aside from Reyes, the other members of the ICI are former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and veteran auditor Rossana Fajardo of SGV and Co.
P12-M car
At around 3:45 p.m., the luxury car—a GMC Denali, which reportedly costs around P12 million—arrived outside the building. Hernandez later emerged from the building, together with Reyes and Magalong, and handed the car keys to the retired magistrate.
“Mr. Hernandez is voluntarily surrendering one of his luxury vehicles to the Commission, and others to follow. In the meantime, the testimony of Engr. Hernandez was adjourned and shall continue upon the directive of the Commission,” Reyes said in the statement.
Magalong said Hernandez was also expected to surrender a Ferrari worth P58 million and a Lamborghini worth between P30 million and P40 million, as well as some motorcycles.
“He would like to cooperate. We explained to him the pros and cons of what he was about to do. We explained carefully what his choices were. And then finally he realized that it was better to cooperate with us at ICI. That’s why the information he released was really free-flowing,” Magalong said.
He also said the cars would be placed in the ICI’s custody and eventually auctioned off.
Back to Senate
After the turnover, Hernandez left in another car but returned to the building about two hours later.
From there, he was sent back to the Senate detention center, where he had been held after being cited in contempt on Thursday for allegedly lying at the blue ribbon committee hearing.
More hearings
Aside from Hernandez, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan also attended the first hearing of the ICI.
Magalong declined to speak at length about Bonoan’s testimony.
“For the meantime, maybe we should just wait for [chairman Reyes] to reveal what [Bonoan] has revealed,” he said, adding that the former DPWH executive was cooperative.
Magalong said public works anomalies are “all over the country” and not only in flood control projects.
“From the amount of information we receive, I really know it is widespread but I never thought that [corruption] would be that massive, that deep, that intense in flood control projects,” he said.
“It’s not just flood control projects. I was also surprised by the revelations that it was even more intense in other projects,” he added.
Magalong said the ICI “will be conducting regular hearings,” without giving the next dates.
