By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter Erika Mae P. Sinaking and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter
THE Department of Justice (DoJ) has recommended the freezing of bank accounts of lawmakers accused of getting kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla told senators on Tuesday.
Appearing before a Senate hearing, Mr. Remulla said the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) had been given a digital copy of a sworn statement by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer Henry C. Alcantara, who earlier claimed that legislators and a DPWH undersecretary had benefitted from the scheme.
“We contacted the AMLC and gave them a digital file of the affidavit, and they started acting on this,” Mr. Remulla said.
Among those named were Senators Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada and Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co, former Caloocan Rep. Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon-Uy, and ex-Public Works Undersecretary Roberto R. Bernardo.
“We’ve received the referral from the DoJ and are actively working on it,” AMLC Executive Director Matthew M. David said in a Viber message. “The investigation is being fast-tracked, and we’re doing everything we can to move things forward as quickly and thoroughly as possible.”
In a 49-page sworn statement, Mr. Alcantara claimed that the lawmakers had benefitted from funds allocated for flood control projects. He also tagged former Senator Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla, Jr.
Mr. Alcantara alleged that proponents of flood control projects had received as much as 30% of the proposed funding, though he admitted he had no direct dealings with lawmakers.
He said funding for kickbacks from flood control projects came from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and unprogrammed funds, under the orders of Mr. Bernardo.
He said he had submitted a list of projects to Mr. Bernardo worth P355 million, who then passed it to Mr. Estrada. “I did not have direct transactions or direct communications with Senator Jinggoy,” he told senators.
The former district engineer alleged that there were budget insertions worth P300 million from Mr. Revilla in 2024.
“According to Usec. Bernardo, the GAA insertions in 2024 were worth P300 million. He told me it was for Senator Bong Revilla who was then running for senator in 2025,” he said, adding that there was no direct contact between him and the senator.
Mr. Revilla denied any hand in the flood control scam. “I have nothing to do with any of that,” he said in a Viber message.
“The allegations made against me during today’s Senate hearing are false and baseless,” Mr. Co said in a statement. “I reserve my right to respond to these allegations at the proper time before the proper forum.”
Mr. Alcantara also claimed that Mr. Villanueva had requested P1.5 billion for a multipurpose building but only received P600 million.
“Senator Joel was not happy with this, so we were forced to find a way,” he said. “(He) did not ask for any specific projects or percentage, but Undersecretary Bernardo told me to give an equivalent of P150 million to (Mr. Villanueva).”
During a plenary session, Mr. Villanueva said he was fully prepared to face an investigation of his involvement in anomalous flood control projects.
“I am fully prepared to be investigated on these allegations,” he told his peers. “I have nothing to hide, and I welcome any inquiry that will bring out the truth.”
Mr. Estrada did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.
Mr. Estrada and Mr. Villanueva earlier denied pocketing flood control funds after they were tagged in a separate investigation by the House of Representatives.
Mr. Revilla and Mr. Estrada were previously implicated in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
At Tuesday’s Senate hearing, Mr. Alcantara named Ms. Co and Ms. Cajayon-Uy as among the proponents of flood control funding.
He said Mr. Co had inserted 426 projects in Bulacan worth P35 billion from 2022 to 2025, while Ms. Cayagon-Uy inserted P411 million worth of projects.
SUBSTANDARDCommittee Chairman Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson approved Mr. Alcantara’s transfer to the Department of Justice for consideration under the Witness Protection Program.
At the same hearing, ex-Public Works assistant engineer Brice P. Hernandez said all infrastructure projects in the first district of Bulacan have been substandard or “underdesigned” from 2019 to 2025.
Meanwhile, Mr. Remulla said Mr. Alcantara has committed to return the ill-gotten wealth he had amassed from flood control projects, as the DoJ builds up its cases.
He said he had met with the engineer and would meet with him again this week. “We submitted the needed documents to the Anti-Money Laundering Council so they can freeze the bank accounts,” he told reporters at the DoJ in Filipino.
Mr. Remulla confirmed Mr. Alcantara’s offer of restitution. “We haven’t gotten to the bottom of everything yet, but the gesture is there.”
He added that government prosecutors were considering other witnesses.
Also on Tuesday, Navotas Rep. Tobias Reynald M. Tiangco filed an ethics complaint against Mr. Co over his alleged role in the “insertion” of billions of pesos in unprogrammed funds and the diversion of funds to lucrative infrastructure deals.
“He masterminded, tolerated and deliberately allowed last-minute insertions and realignments,” he said in a four-page complaint. “The insertions bypassed priority projects and cast serious doubts on the legitimacy of purpose.”
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has revoked Mr. Co’s travel clearance to seek medical treatment in the US, asking him to come home within 10 days to answer allegations linking him to questionable budget insertions and contractors in public works projects.
“The 2025 General Appropriations Act has been considered as the most scandalous, corrupt and highly irregular budget,” Mr. Tiangco said in the complaint. “Billions of pesos were inserted by the small committee up to the bicameral committee.”
This year’s budget drew criticism when the bicameral committee raised unprogrammed funds to more than P500 billion and inserted allegedly blank line items, prompting concerns that changes were made after Congress ratified the bill.
“Despite efforts to pacify the public, the public’s demand to hold liable those responsible for the insertions remains a roaring outcry of the people. However, Rep. Co remains silent and beyond reach,” Mr. Tiangco said.
Mr. Tiangco also accused Mr. Co of violating the code of conduct for public officials over his absence since the beginning of the 20th Congress and for conflict of interest.
Thousands of Filipinos marched in the capital on Sunday in the biggest protest in years against the multibillion-peso flood control scandal, turning weeks of online outrage over corruption into mass street demonstrations that rattled the political establishment.
