Manila, June 29 -- The Office of the Ombudsman is eyeing former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan as a state witness, citing his "very important" testimony about the cases to be filed against the perpetrators of the anomalous flood control projects.

"We already have a side agreement for the cooperation of former secretary Manuel Bonoan to be a state witness, to be a cooperating witness," Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a press conference.

Remulla said the Ombudsman will ask the Sandiganbayan to "discharge him as a respondent so he can testify for us as a state witness."

"The knowledge that he has about the whole institution is something very important to us to be able to prove many cases," ...