Former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara returns P110 million to the government

Ex-DPWH Bulacan engineer Henry Alcantara, who has been implicated in flood control anomalies, returned P110 million to the government on Friday via his legal counsel.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida announced that the turnover was part of the restitution process linked to the flood control investigation. He specified that the LandBank of the Philippines would first count and validate the cash before transferring it to the Bureau of Treasury.

During the press conference, Vida said that "this is a portion of the amount" that was agreed upon.

"Kasi ganito yung restitution, kinukwento [n]ila, based on that, we look at yung adverments nila, statement nila na sinasabi nilang na accumulate nila for those transactions. Kaya, this is part of the 300 million committed amount for restitution. Only for those particular cases na minention," he explained.

Vida also disclosed that a panel is in place to evaluate the statements used to determine the exact amount of restitution.

"Inuuri namin yung salaysay kung makatotohanan o hindi at doon namin binabase yung restitution," he said.

He characterized the money turnover as an act of good faith.

"Ito ang pagpapakita ng kanilang good faith," he said. "Ito po ay isang hakbang para makamit natin yung katarungan. Kasi ang pagbabalik ng nakaw na pera o perang hindi kanila, pera po natin ito eh. This is the recovery of people's money."

Alcantara and fellow engineer Brice Hernandez previously tagged Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Joel Villanueva, ex-Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, retired DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo, and former senator Bong Revilla in alleged kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects. The lawmakers have since denied the allegations.