Jamaine Punzalan

Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez attends the congressional hearing on the alleged ghost flood control projects at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175756089137420250909-house-probe-flood-brice-hernandez-MT3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez attends the congressional hearing on the alleged ghost flood control projects at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br id="isPasted"/></div><p>MANILA — Brice Hernandez, the former Bulacan assistant district engineer who tagged two senators in an alleged kickback scheme, can only get visits from his lawyers and family at the Pasay City Jail, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday.</p><p>“Ang iniiwasan natin is yung may kakausap sa kanya na magbabago siya ng statement,” Sotto told DZMM TeleRadyo.</p><p>“lilista lahat ang pupunta sa kanya, bibisita sa kanya. Ang pwede lang bumisita sa kanya, mga abugado niya at mga kamag-anak niya,” he added.</p><p>Hernandez was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/senate-panel-cites-ex-dpwh-exec-in-contempt-over-casino-grilling-1247">cited in contempt </a>and ordered detained for allegedly lying under oath before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which is investigating questionable flood control projects.</p><p>In a separate hearing by the House Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday, he accused Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects — which they denied. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-shows-photos-of-money-intended-for-proponents-1346">Ex-DPWH engineer shows photos of money intended for &#x27;proponents&#x27;</a></div><p>He was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/10/senate-approves-ex-dpwh-engineer-brice-hernandez-s-transfer-to-pasay-city-jail-1740">moved to the Pasay City Jail </a>on Wednesday night from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame.</p><p>Despite his transfer to the jail, Hernandez will remain under the Senate’s custody, Sotto said.</p><p>“Under custody namin ‘yan, we never lose jurisdiction...dahil ito’y na-detain sa ibang lugar. Kahit saan namin gustong dalhing lugar, pwede yan,” the Senate chief said.</p><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LLyVWUOd-Zw" title="WATCH: Nailipat na sa Pasay City Jail si Brice Hernandez | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Before this, Sotto said Speaker Martin Romualdez had called him to relay congressmen’s request that Hernandez stay in the House due to concerns for his safety under Senate custody.</p><p>But Sotto said he rejected this request and initially ordered Hernandez’s detention at the PNP Custodial Center — which some minority senators opposed.</p><p>“Ang akala ata nitong mga nagkukuweston, hindi na namin puwedeng kuhanin or di na mag-aattend ng hearing sa Huwebes ni Senator Lacson. Hindi, anytime, under custody namin siya,” Sotto said.</p><p>“Ang dating sa akin kasi, kauupo ko pa lang, gusto nila i-antagonize ko yung House. Bakit daw ako sumusunod kay Martin [Romualdez]? Hindi naman ako sumusunod kay Martin, pinagbibigyan ko yung request ng mga congressman na hindi naman iligal at hindi naman violative of any rule of the Senate or any rule of law,” he added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DISCAYA PROTECTION REQUEST </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Sotto on Wednesday also<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/10/sotto-rejects-marcoleta-s-recommendation-to-admit-discayas-to-doj-s-witness-protection-program-2345"> refused to sign Marcoleta&#x27;s recommendation </a>for the Department of Justice to admit contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya in the state&#x27;s witness protection program, after they implicated several House members and DPWH officials in an alleged payoff scheme.</p><p>Quoting Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla&#x27;s position, Sotto said the Discayas could only become state witnesses after they return the money allegedly gained from anomalous flood control projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/sotto-replaces-escudero-as-senate-president-1544">Sotto replaces Escudero as Senate President</a></div><p>He added that the Discayas were capable of paying for their own security outside of the witness protection program. </p><p>Senate President Pro Tempore and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Panfilo Lacson backed Sotto’s rejection of immunity for the Discayas. </p><p>&quot;Kasi nag-retract sila. Pagdating sa house, iba naman ang sinasabi. So, how can they qualify kung hindi definite yung kanilang testimonya? Pag nasa House, iba sinasabi. Pag naandito, iba,” Lacson said. </p><p>“Anyway, titignan natin. Baka dumating yung punto na pag naandito sila, mag-tell all, i-evaluate natin,” he said. </p><p>The senator urged the couple, &quot;Dapat marami siyang sabihin. Otherwise, wala silang pag-asa na kung gusto nilang, ang tumbok nila is pumasok as state witnesses.” </p><div><strong>— With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </strong></div>

<p>Brice Hernandez, the former Bulacan assistant district engineer who tagged two senators in an alleged kickback scheme, can only get visits from his lawyers and family at the Pasay City Jail, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday.</p>

Brice Hernandez, the former Bulacan assistant district engineer who tagged two senators in an alleged kickback scheme, can only get visits from his lawyers and family at the Pasay City Jail, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday.

Sotto: Only lawyers, family can visit ex-DPWH engineer Hernandez at Pasay jail

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Sotto: Only lawyers, family can visit ex-DPWH engineer Hernandez at Pasay jail

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 11, 2025 11:27 AM PHT

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Updated Sep 11, 2025 03:30 PM PHT

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