The Senate on Saturday, September 20, approved the temporary release of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez from its custody after Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III granted the request.
Hernandez was allowed to go out in order to gather information and evidence for the ongoing probe of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee into anomalous flood control projects.
“Baka meron pang iba na puwede siyang makapag-produce, sabi niya kasi pag tinatanong, mahirap makapagturo kung wala siyang pinanghahawakan, kung may makikita siya at sa susunod na pagdinig eh maipakita niya, at least may resibo,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson, who also chairs the Blue Ribbon Committee.
Hernandez previously disclosed the alleged sharing of kickbacks in flood control projects, dragging Senate Deputy Minority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senator Jinggoy Estrada into the scheme—claims both senators have strongly denied.
“Mahilig siya magtabi ng mga text messages… baka naman meron siyang naaalala na pinaglalagyan niya na pwede niyang pagkunan para pag nag-testify siya meron siyang pinanghahawakan. So yun ang nakita ko lang na magandang dahilan, importanteng dahilan para mapayagan siya,” Lacson added.
Lacson clarified, however, that Estrada and Villanueva are not yet cleared, but admitted that there is still no solid evidence against them at this point.
In a statement, Sotto stressed that Hernandez will remain under the custody of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms at all times while outside detention. Any potential evidence Hernandez may obtain, he added, can be used by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to support their own investigations.