SEVERAL civil society groups on Tuesday questioned the Department of Justice (DOJ) over its decision to provisionally admit former Department of Public Works and Highways–National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR) official Gerard Opulencia into the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).
Opulencia has been linked to anomalous flood control projects and alleged “ghost” projects. On December 16, 2025, he surrendered ₱40 million to the DOJ as part of a commitment to return a total of ₱150 million in allegedly ill-gotten funds.
Groups such as Social Watch Philippines (SWP) and various public commentators questioned whether what they described as “symbolic restitution” is being used as a mechanism for high-ranking officials to evade full criminal liability.
The groups expressed alarm that an official accused of serious wrongdoing could be granted state protection, warning that the move sends a dangerous message about accountability in public service.
“Under the current system, it appears that a person who has stolen public funds can simply enter the Witness Protection Program, return part of what was taken, and effectively evade responsibility,” the groups said.
They added that such arrangements undermine public trust in the justice system, reducing accountability to what they described as a troubling formula: commit theft, seek witness protection, return a portion of the money, and walk free.
“This is not justice—it is a mockery of it,” the groups stressed, calling on the DOJ to clearly explain the basis of its decision and to ensure that the Witness Protection Program is not used as a shield for corruption.
Earlier, Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida and Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said Opulencia’s testimony is “material” to strengthening cases against other high-profile individuals, including former Senator Bong Revilla and fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
Civil society advocates, however, emphasized that recovering funds should not be treated as the endpoint. They argued that the focus must remain on aggressive criminal and administrative action across the entire procurement chain, including politicians who allegedly benefitted from multi-billion-peso leakages.
Public sentiment has also questioned whether the “return of funds in exchange for WPP admission” reflects a genuine effort to expose masterminds—or merely a convenient way for corrupt officials to escape harsher penalties, thereby weakening the fight against systemic corruption.
Opulencia is not the only former DPWH official to have returned funds. The DOJ earlier confirmed that former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara had already returned ₱110 million and is expected to remit additional amounts.
So far, the DOJ said that only Alcantara, former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, and Opulencia have been provisionally admitted to the Witness Protection Program.
“Why are the millions of pesos in kickbacks taken by DPWH officials being returned only in installments?” the groups asked, calling for full restitution and accountability.
