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Former Bulacan District Engineer Henry C. Alcantara made a significant move on Friday by handing over a hefty sum of P110 million to the government. This payment is part of his commitment to make amends after admitting he authorized payments for fake \u201cghost\u201d infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n
Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida shared that Mr. Alcantara’s cash turnover, facilitated through his lawyer, is a key step in the restitution process tied to his application for the Justice Department\u2019s Witness Protection Program (WPP), amid ongoing investigations into flood control issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis shows good faith. By becoming a state witness, he\u2019s expressing, \u2018Dear DOJ, we want to support the government because we regret what we did. If we gained anything from it, we\u2019re returning it to the public.\u2019 This is a big step towards justice,\u201d Mr. Vida remarked during a press briefing in Filipino.<\/p>\n
He also mentioned that the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) will work together to verify the funds before the amount is officially accepted. \u201cThey will check for any counterfeits or missing data. Everything will be confirmed. Once counted, they will certify the sum, and the Bureau of Treasury will provide an official receipt,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Previously, Mr. Alcantara confessed that during his time as Bulacan\u2019s first district engineer, he signed off on completion certificates for numerous non-existent flood control and infrastructure projects. The total estimated earnings from alleged kickbacks and fraudulent projects during Mr. Alcantara’s term stand at around P300 million.<\/p>\n