Ombudsman gathering more evidence vs Lucas Bersamin, 2 others

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday said they are still gathering evidence against former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and two other officials tagged by a state witness in the alleged kickback scheme.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said their action against Bersamin, his grandnephew, former Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, and former Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar is still under fact-finding.

“They are included in the second case, which the Ombudsman already described as a grand conspiracy to defraud the 2025 budget,” Clavano said in a press conference when asked about the update on the cases of Bersamins and Olaivar.

Article continues after this advertisement

“That case is still in fact-finding, and we are sifting through the facts and the documents that were given to us,” he said, referring to those turned over by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo tagged the three individuals in the kickback scheme during a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing last year.

Bernardo claimed he met with Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar in 2024 to discuss unprogrammed appropriations supposedly intended for the Office of the Executive Secretary.

The former DPWH Undersecretary further alleged that Olaivar requested a 15-percent cut from the P2.85-billion infrastructure projects for Bersamin’s office. Bersamin denied this allegation.

READ: Bersamin on accusations linking him to anomalies: ‘Stop it, just sue me’

Article continues after this advertisement

Clavano said they are “listening to him because he is a state witness and he has been cooperating with us.

“We do find him credible, and his statements are being used as leads to point us in the right direction,” he said, while noting that his statements should be corroborated by other evidence.

Article continues after this advertisement

Meanwhile, the younger Bersamin was identified by resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, as former House appropriations committee chair as one of those whom he had communicated with and who had told him the alleged order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to “insert” P100 billion worth of DPWH projects in the 2025 national budget. /cb