JINGGOY FILES PERJURY RAPS VS EX-DPWH ENGINEER HERNANDEZ

SENATOR Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Tuesday filed perjury charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez.

Estrada is pressing four counts of perjury against Hernandez stemming from the latter’s statements made before the House of Representatives’ Infrastructure Committee (Infracom) and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiries.

According to Estrada’s legal counsel, Bianca Soriano, the four specific statements by Brice Hernandez being cited for perjury are his claim regarding an alleged 30 percent kickback received by Estrada concerning anomalous flood control project; his assertion that a certain Beng Ramos was an alleged staff member of Estrada; his use of a fake issued ID at Okada Manila and other casinos; and his declaration that he was not involved in the anomalous flood control projects under investigation.

In his complaint-affidavit, Estrada accused Hernandez of making false statements under oath and maliciously concocting lies to damage his name and reputation.

“Respondent Hernandez has publicly and maliciously concocted lies under oath with an obvious intent to tarnish me, my name, and my reputation,” Estrada said in his sworn affidavit.

“For this reason, I am charging respondent Hernandez with the crime of perjury under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code,” he added.

Hernandez previously served as assistant district engineer of the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office before being placed under the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program following his testimony in the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

According to Hernandez, Estrada inserted about P355 million worth of flood control projects in Bulacan and allegedly received kickbacks from contractors.

The senator repeatedly denied the accusations, calling them baseless and politically motivated.