Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan questioned Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer Henry Alcantara, who denied knowledge of corruption in multi-billion flood control projects within his own office.
At the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control projects scandal on Thursday, September 18, the senator expressed disbelief that Alcantara had no knowledge about the mountain of P1,000 bills he was pictured with.
“Isang lamesa ng limpak limpak na salapi na tig-iisang libo, hindi mo alam kung ano yun? Mahirap paniwalaan, Engineer,” he said.
Alcantara, who was cited in contempt by the committee after claiming he was unaware of the scheme surrounding flood control projects in his own district, was tagged by his former subordinate—former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez—as the one behind the corruption mess.
Hernandez claimed having given Alcantara luxury items—a car and a watch—as part of his “cut” from the scheme. Alcantara denied knowing where the money to buy the items came from, but Pangilinan said this was hard to believe.
“Matagal na binibigay sayo mga regalo hindi ka ba nagtatanong? Hindi ka ba nagtataka?,” the senator asked. “Tapos kasama ka doon sa nagu-unpack ng pera pero hindi mo alam saan galing yung pera na pinambili para ibigay sayo bilang regalo?”
He was referring to a picture of Alcantara provided by Hernandez, wherein the former was seen standing beside a table with piles of P1,000 bills. Alcantara admitted he was the one in the photo.
“Medyo mahirap paniwalaan yun na hindi mo alam at kung hindi mo alam, bakit hindi mo kinuwestyon? Ba’t di mo inalam?,” Pangilinan asked.
“Kung ikaw eh interesado talaga dito na malaman itong kalokohan or meron kalokohan, ikaw ang district engineer meron kang command responsibility – doon pa lang may sabit na,” he added.