Government witness and contractor Sally Santos says Hernandez allegedly obtained 42 projects through SYMS, which is about P1.8 billion.
MANILA, Philippines – Government witness and SYMS contractor Sally Santos confirmed on Wednesday, April 8, that he was supposed to deliver more or less P1.72 billion to the former assistant engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPHW). Brice Hernandez for flood control projects.
Santos answered “yes” when asked by Sandiganbayan Division 3 member Associate Justice Ronald Moreno if he had delivered the amount to Hernandez.
The anti-corruption court unit is holding a series of hearings on the bail petition of former senator Bong Revilla and former DPWH officials in their corruption case stemming from A P92.8-million flood control project in Bulacan. They are facing a separate corruption case with the 4th Department, but this case has bail, so Revilla and the others were able to release bail.
During the Senate investigation in 2025, Santos confirmed that some DPWH projects that went to his company were internal projects of engineers like Hernandez.
He said he just had it he lent him the license for these projectsand instead the payment went to some DPWH engineers. According to Santos, he would charge a 3% discount for lending out his license and then give the rest to whoever borrowed his license.
During the bail hearing, Santos explained his testimony and said it was Hernandez who allegedly asked him to start a construction company. It was in 2024, according to a state witness, that he began lending his license to Hernandez.
Santos said Hernandez allegedly obtained 42 projects through SYMS, which is about P1.8 billion. With this program, Santos said he has earned P86 million.
A government witness said that before withdrawing the money, he would call the bank in advance. When the money was available, he would spend five hours before getting the money.
The money, placed in boxes, would then be delivered to Hernandez, who would receive it personally, according to Santos.
At the same time, Santos also basically said that the bidding process for the DPWH projects he got was rigged: “For example, there is a tender project, he tells me, it is offered. Then I bid (For example, if there is a tender project, he would tell me and give it to me. Then I would tender).
SYMS business model
Santos said he lent his license to Hernandez because he trusted him. He said he did not know that the infrastructure would turn into air projects.
“Whenever I ask him (Hernandez), he says there is no problem (Every time I asked him for an update, he said everything was fine),” a government witness told the court.
During the bond hearing, it was revealed that SYMS has received 157 projects from the government since 2021. At least 42 of these 157 were under Hernandez, leaving the contractor with 115 projects.
But according to Santos, only 10% of the 115 projects (around 11 projects) went to him – the rest went to other people who borrowed his license.
Besides Hernandez, there were also other people from the government and the private sector who allegedly borrowed his license. Similarly in Hernandez’s case, he charged 3% from these deals.
The chairman of the division, Associate Justice Karl Miranda, however, reminded Santos that lending a contractor’s license is a violation of the law. Santos is already a state witness, so he has legal immunity from flood control lawsuits.
Concerns over Santos’ credibility
Santos, during cross-examination by the defense and talks with the judges, struggled to answer questions fully. In particular, the state’s witness said he could not recall certain details about his dealings with Hernandez.
Even to questions about bonds related to his projects as a contractor, Santos found it difficult to answer with confidence.
“The court is concerned about your credibility,” Miranda told Santos.
Moreno also reminded Santos to be careful with his answers because they could affect his credibility, and the court could mislead that he has selective memory. But for the prosecution, questions about the credibility of government witnesses are common in trials.
“That’s normal. The reason he became a state witness is because he was involved in the crime…. They are in a good position to testify that a crime was committed,” prosecutors told reporters after Wednesday’s hearing. – Rappler.com
