P866.38 million in flood control funds returned to treasury --DOJ

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said that P866.38 million worth of flood control funds have been returned to the country’s coffers as of October.

In a press briefing, DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez presented several highlights of the agency’s performance for the year 2026. One of these agency’s highlights included its handling of the multi-billion flood control scam.

“The department has handled 29 cases, and as of October 2026, P866,381,500 has been returned to the DOJ and deposited with the Bureau of Treasury,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez later clarified that the amount solely came from the proponents of the Bulacan case. The flood control scam was initially exposed in Bulacan First District Engineering Office, where several former employees have admitted to funneling money into bogus flood control projects.

The DOJ has since named a number of individuals from the Bulacan case as a protected witness. Vasquez said that there is a continuing offer for people to become a witness as long as they return stolen funds, but clarified that the agency has no specific quota.

“The goal is not just P1 billion because of the continuing efforts to require the restitution of public funds that were unlawfully acquired by certain individuals as a precondition to their being accepted into the witness protection program,” Vasquez said.

“It is an open ended measure that we will continue to uphold, that there is an open opportunity for those who are charged to restore whatever it is that they got unlawfully and be admitted in the Witness Protection Program and be granted certain benefits that would be good for them and their families. So there is no set amount,” he added.

According to DOJ Undersecretary Deo Marco, dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Henry Alcantara was the last to return stolen funds. Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo’s restitution is ongoing, as some of those being returned are properties.

For flood control cases, Vasquez said that three malversation and graft cases have been filed before RegionalTrial Courts, five tax cases were filed before the Court of Tax Appeals, and two cases were endorsed to the Ombudsman. The DOJ has also dismissed eight tax-related cases.

Vasquez stressed that it was their responsibility to ensure that all the allegations are subject to proper legal processes. —NB, GMA News