00:00The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on flood control anomalies returns with a flood of new names.
00:06Allegations of kickbacks and shady deals have rocked the halls of power, leaving lawmakers and officials scrambling to clear their names.
00:14Gav Villegas reports.
00:18On the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the anomalous flood control projects,
00:22several other personalities were named by former Department of Public Works and Highways or DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo in his supplemental affidavit.
00:32In today's hearing, Bernardo detailed how some lawmakers received kickbacks.
00:36Some of the names that surfaced are former Senator Grace Poe, Senator Mark Villar, former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan,
00:44former DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, former Caloocan Representative Mitch Kahayon Uy, and former Bulacan Representative Rita Robes.
00:52Based on Bernardo's sworn statement, former Senator Bong Revilla also received kickbacks on infrastructure projects
00:58amounting to 25% of the total cost of infrastructure projects in Manila, Bulacan, Valenzuela, and Quezon City.
01:06After receipt of the 25% commitment, which were packed in six cardboard boxes, each containing at least 20 million,
01:13and one paper bag containing 5 million, I called up Senator Revilla to inform him the same. It's ready to be turned over to him.
01:19Binay alleged obtained 15% of the 3.1 billion pesos that was given to Binay aide Carline Yap Villar.
01:26The kickback obtained by Senator Jingoy Estrada from over 800 million pesos in FCPs in Bulacan reached 213 million pesos.
01:3525% of the 500 million peso cost of projects in Laguna and the NCR was allegedly collected as kickback for Senator Grace Poe
01:43by one alleged contractor, Mrs. Patron, in a five-star hotel in Manila.
01:47He also encouraged other persons involved to come forward and cooperate in the investigation.
01:53Some of those named have released statements in pushback against Bernardo's revelations.
01:58Bakati City Mayor Nancy Binay insists she has no involvement in any government project related to flood control.
02:04Education Secretary Sonny Angara says he has never been involved in any corruption.
02:09Senator Mark Villar calls to the public to be discerning and not to just judge based on the affidavit.
02:15Former Senator Grace Poe was saddened with Bernardo's revelation.
02:18However, she still supports the investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and reiterates she is not involved in corruption.
02:26The camp of former Senator Bong Revilla says today's revelation was disappointing but not surprising and laments his continued political persecution.
02:36Revilla also denies all allegations against him.
02:38When Senators asked if Coppol Curly and Sara Discaia submitted the ledger containing the names of their transactions with government officials, this was the response.
02:48Nakakulong po ako sa detention.
02:50Katunay nga po sa ICI po nung nakaraan ay humingi po kami ng furlough.
02:56For low yata ang tawag doon na mahanap ko po sana yung mga ledger na yun.
03:02So hindi rin po sila gumawa ng sulat sa Senate po yung ICI.
03:08Bali, hindi ko po na-comply po, Your Honor.
03:10Because of this, the committee ordered Curly to get the ledger from his home accompanied by the Senate security.
03:17Upon return to the Senate, the ledger Curly obtained from their home was not complete.
03:20Based on the initial list of names in Curly Discaia's ledger, Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo,
03:26former Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo, Caloocan City Rep. Dean Asistio,
03:32Quezon City Rep. Patrick Vargas,
03:34Quezon City Rep. Marivic Pilar,
03:37Uswag Ilongo Partilist Rep. Jojo Ang,
03:39Former Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava,
03:43and Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo were among the names.
03:48Lawmakers from the lower house did not attend today's hearing.
03:51According to House Speaker Faustino D.,
03:53he won to his peers or colleagues to prejudice themselves by testifying in the Senate Blue Ribbon investigation,
03:59which could be used against them in the ongoing ICI probe.
04:02Among those who did not attend are former House Speaker and later Rep. Martin Romualdez
04:07and former Acubicol Partilist Rep. Zaldico.
04:11According to COS Lawyer,
04:12Attorney Rui Alberto Rondain,
04:14the former lawmaker is still out of the country due to medical reasons.
04:19Gab Villegas from the National TV Network for New and Better Philippines.
