Ex-DPWH engineer tags lawmakers in Bulacan flood control payoffs

A former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official has accused several legislators of receiving payoffs from flood control projects in Bulacan.

At a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Tuesday, ex-district engineer Henry C. Alcantara claimed that former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. and Senators Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada and Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva benefitted from questionable flood mitigation projects.

He also named Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co and former Rep. Mary Mitzi L. Cajayon-Uy as among the proponents of flood control allocations.

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. Alcantara said project proponents got as much as 30% of funding intended for flood projects, though he admitted having no direct transactions with the lawmakers.

Mr. Revilla and Mr. Estrada were previously implicated in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

Mr. Alcantara told senators money for the alleged kickbacks came from both the General Appropriations Act and unprogrammed funds.

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.

Committee Chairman Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson approved Mr. Alcantara’s transfer to the Department of Justice for consideration under the Witness Protection Program. — Adrian H. Halili