Dismissed Bulacan Engineer Returned to Senate Custody Amid Controversy

Dismissed Bulacan 1st District Engineer Brice Hernandez was transferred back to the Senate detention facility on Monday morning. Senate President Vicente Sotto III approved the transfer following a request from Hernandez’s legal team, who argued that keeping him in the Senate would demonstrate the institution's commitment to confronting challenging issues and protecting those who expose them.

Hernandez had been previously held at the Pasay City Jail after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cited him for contempt on September 8, accusing him of repeatedly providing false testimony during their investigation.

During his time under Senate custody, Hernandez testified before the House Committee on Infrastructure on September 9. Under oath, he incriminated Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, claiming both received 30 percent kickbacks related to Bulacan flood control projects—Estrada in 2025 and Villanueva in 2023. Both senators have categorically denied these allegations.

Following his testimony, Hernandez requested a transfer from the Senate detention to a different facility on grounds of personal security, a request initially granted by Sotto, resulting in his movement to the PNP Custodial Center.

However, the Senate minority bloc raised concerns about the transfer decision, leading Senate President Sotto to reverse the order and return Hernandez to the Senate detention facility, reaffirming the institution’s role amid the ongoing investigation.