MANILA, PHILIPPINES — A former district engineer from Bulacan linked two senators to the flood control mess at the resumption of the investigation by the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Quoting his boss District Engineer Henry Alcantara, former assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez said Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva demanded "30 percent" and was "delivered when these items came out in the GAA (General Appropriations Act).| Alcantara denied Hernandez's allegations.

In response, Estrada, in Filipino and English, denied the claims and challenged him to take a lie detector test so that everyone would know who was telling the truth."

"Talk is cheap. I am ready to prove that all that he said against me were pure lies," he added in a text message.

Hernandez was at the House after Senate President Tito Sotto III allowed him to attend the parallel probe on flood control projects.

Estrada, Villanueva tagged in flood control mess, 'SOP was 30%', This news data comes from:http://sebwybsh.771bg.com

Sotto has granted the request of the House for Hernandez to attend its public hearing, recognizing the principle of inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Hernandez was detained at the Senate on Monday after the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cited him in contempt for repeatedly denying his alleged casino habits.