DOJ: Alcantara expressed willingness for restitution

By Benjamin Pulta, Philippine News Agency

GHOST PROJECTS PROBE. Former Department of Public Works and Highways-Bulacan First Engineering District engineer Henry Alcantara testifies during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged anomalous flood control projects on Monday (Sept. 1, 2025). The Department of Justice on Tuesday (Sept. 23) said Alcantara has expressed willingness to cooperate with the government and return illegally obtained funds. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara will cooperate with the probe on anomalous flood control projects, including returning government funds as restitution.

After meeting with Alcantara Tuesday, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told reporters that the dismissed DPWH official expressed willingness to return illegally obtained funds.

“Yes. We haven’t gotten to the bottom of everything yet pero (but) the gesture for restitution is there, ” he said.

He declined to comment on what statements Alcantara actually made that would qualify him as state witness.

“I cannot comment on that yet. We have to vet everything before we make any comments or before we make any decisions,” he said.

He said the meeting was only the first of a series of meetings to determine whether Alcantara can be tapped as a state witness.

“We have to see him again within the week to finalize everything. Pero (But) he did good for today,” Remulla said.

Based on Alcantara’s statement, Remulla said the controversy started in 2022 when the former was district engineer of the City of Malolos.

He said they will also be meeting with other potential witnesses, including Alcantara’s deputy, Brice Hernandez.

“We will be very busy in the next few days. We will have to vet another one because we got a letter from a lawyer asking that we also consider Brice Hernandez as a state witness,” he said.

However, any ruling on who would qualify for the witness protection program will not be immediate.

“Matagal pa yan. Marami pa tayong ico-consider. We have to vet it properly kasi kailangan himayin natin ‘yung buong problema bago tayo mamili talaga ng maayos na tetestigo sa lahat ng kinakailangan (It’s going to take time. We have to consider a number of things. We have to dissect the details first before we can choose a witness),” Remulla said.

Meanwhile, he said the DOJ has already submitted documents to the Anti Money Laundering Council for the freezing of assets of those implicated in the controversy.