Alcantara returns new batch of stolen public funds, increasing pot to P866M

MANILA, Philippines—Former Public Works-Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara has returned another batch of cold cash to the Bureau of Treasury, increasing the pot to P866.4 million.

Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco made the revelation on Thursday, noting that the stolen public funds have been recently turned over to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr).

Marco added that the recovered assets are not only money, but also properties and assets that were frozen. 

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“And as investigations continue, there are more properties being discovered. So it’s just continuing,” Marco told reporters.

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The amount also covers cases only from alleged irregularities of infrastructure projects in Bulacan. 

Returning the stolen funds back to public coffers is among the conditions to be admitted to the government’s Witness Protection Program.  

Alcantara was previously admitted to the program.

The DOJ dropped at least three criminal cases, including malversation and graft, against him as a result of his admission.

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Complete immunity from suit, however, is not guaranteed. 

Marco and Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez presented in a press conference the ill-gotten wealth stolen from taxpayers’ money through large-scale flood control project kickbacks.

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Vasquez pointed out that there is no goal as to the amount that needs to be recovered.

He also said the restitution would remain an “open-ended measure” and a continuing effort to collect ill-gotten money. 

A total of 29 cases had been handled by the DOJ in relation to alleged ghost or substandard flood control projects.

These legal suits include three malversation and graft cases filed before various regional trial courts, and five tax-related charges were lodged before the Court of Tax Appeals.

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Nine complaints have also been endorsed to the Office of the Ombudsman with final resolution. /apl