MANILA – Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has filed a perjury case against former Bulacan first district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
Estrada said in his complaint that under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, Hernandez “publicly and maliciously concocted lies under oath” to tarnish his name and reputation.
Hernandez previously linked Estrada and Sen. Joel Villanueva to allegedly anomalous flood control projects during the inquiry of the House Infrastructure Committee, alleging that they received 30% “SOP” from the projects.
“Ang sabi ni Brice Hernandez tumatanggap daw ako kickback ng 20%. Meron daw akong tinanggap. Tinuro niya si Henry Alcantara,” Estrada said in an ambush interview.
“Nung nag-testify si Henry Alcantara, binanggit yung pangalan ko pero sinabi niya wala akong transaksyon, walang transaksyon,” he added.
In his testimony before the Senate, Alcantara identified Estrada as a proponent for P355 million worth of Phase 3 of seven pumping stations with floodgates at the request of former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.
However, he said that he had no direct transactions with Estrada.
Estrada, meanwhile, said that Bernardo made no mention of him.
“So double hearsay, triple hearsay itong ginagawa sa akin,” he said. “Talagang gusto nila ako sirain sa publiko dahil I’m the most vulnerable amongst the senators dahil sa aking issue nung nakaraan.”
Though he did not specify the issue he is referring to, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Estrada of plunder and found him guilty of bribery last year in connection with his alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam./PN
