By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter
A FORMER Public Works undersecretary has implicated more Philippine lawmakers in a multibillion-peso kickback scheme tied to flood-control projects.
At a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday, former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto R. Bernardo named Senators Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero, former Senators Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla, Jr., and Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay as among those who benefited from budget insertions.
The lawmakers had demanded as much as 20% in commissions, he said, while also accusing Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co of getting a cut from project funds.
Mr. Bernardo admitted his role in the scam. “I made a mistake and allowed myself to be used as a tool in wrongdoing,” he told senators.
In a 12-page affidavit, the former official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) claimed that he had delivered P160 million, or 20% of a P800-million project, to an associate of Mr. Escudero.
He added that the project list was inserted into the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
The senator was replaced as Senate president earlier this month after he admitted receiving campaign donations from a contractor but denied influencing contract awards.
Mr. Bernardo also claimed that a staff of former Senator Binay, who is now Makati City mayor, requested about P37 million, or 15% from projects amounting to P250 million.
He added that he had personally delivered the money to Ms. Binay in a house in Quezon City.
“Engineer Alcantara collected 15% commitment or about P37 million which was turned over to me and which I then delivered to Senator Binay at a house in Quezon City,” he said.
According to Mr. Bernardo, he met Mr. Revilla in Makati City in 2024 where he gave a list of projects given to him by Mr. Alcantara.
“Senator Revilla asked for a commitment, which I suggested, and he then approved at 25% of the total amount of the projects,” he added.
He said that the request for additional funds was relayed to Mr. Alcantara as support for Mr. Revilla’s 2025 senatorial campaign.
The former undersecretary also claimed that Mr. Co negotiated kickbacks through ex-district engineer Alcantara.
“Engineer Alcantara then told me that Cong. Zaldy Co was asking for a 25% commission. Out of that amount, 2% was to be shared equally between Engineer Alcantara and myself,” he said.
“Furthermore, Engineer Alcantara would tell me every time that he made deliveries of cash to Cong. Zaldy Co in compliance with his commitment,” he added.
Mr. Revilla and Mr. Co were also among the officials named by Mr. Alcantara last Tuesday allegedly benefiting from funds from flood mitigation projects, along with Senators Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada and Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva. They have denied their involvement.
In a separate testimony, Mr. Co’s former security aide Orly Regala Guteza also implicated former House Speaker Martin Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Benguet Rep. Eric G. Yap over the flood control scheme.
Mr. Guteza claims that he was part of a team that would deliver bags of money, which they referred to as basura (garbage), to the lawmakers.
“There are more occasions when we deliver ‘garbage’ to Speaker Romualdez’s house and Congressman Zaldy Co’s house because we have different detailed close-ins, backups, and advanced parties, which rotate,” he told reporters in mixed English and Filipino.
He also claimed that part of the team that delivered money to Mr. Co and Mr. Romualdez was the Benguet representative.
Mr. Romualdez earlier resigned from the speakership amid mounting criticism of his alleged role in the Philippines’ multibillion-peso flood control scandal. This came a week after the Senate leadership change.
WELL-ORCHESTRATED PLANSeparately Mr. Escudero denied the allegations that he had any hand in acquiring funds from flood control projects.
“I vehemently deny the malicious allegations and innuendos made by former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo in today’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee,” the senator said in a statement. “By his own admission, he never had any contact with me directly regarding this matter—and I will prove that he is lying about my alleged involvement.”
He claims that there is a “well-orchestrated plan” to divert attention from the real perpetrators of the flood control scam by attacking the Senate and its members.
In a Facebook post, Ms. Binay also said that the accusations made against her were untrue.
“I am surprised and saddened that I am being implicated in the anomalies of the DPWH. The accusations against me are untrue,” she said.
She added that her name was being used to divert attention “from those who really need to be held accountable for this issue.”
Mr. Yap had also denied allegations involving him in the multi-billion-peso scandal, noting that he had never accepted or authorized the delivery of cash from flood control funds.
“I categorically deny any involvement in the acts being alleged. I have never accepted, nor authorized, the delivery of money in connection with flood control projects. These claims are untrue,” he said in a statement.
Mr. Revilla and the Office of Mr. Co did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.
However, Mr. Revilla earlier denied any hand in the flood control scam, while Mr. Co, who is overseas, has called the allegations against him “false and baseless.”
Mr. Romualdez, meanwhile, said he was “deeply surprised” by the allegations, which he described as “an outright and complete fabrication.”
In a statement, he said the McKinley property where the witness claimed to have made deliveries to in December 2024 has been under renovation since January 2024.
“I repeat: I have never received or benefited from kickbacks in any infrastructure project. I have never authorized, instructed, or allowed anyone to engage in any conduct that would betray the people or taint my name,” he said.
The Philippine Senate is investigating irregularities in the Public Works agency’s flood-mitigation projects, which have received about P500 billion since 2022.
Critics have warned that corruption undermines disaster preparedness at a time when the Philippines, battered by an average of 20 storms annually, is ranked the world’s most disaster-prone country in the world.
PROTECTED WITNESSMeanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla told reporters Mr. Bernardo has been granted provisional security as a “protected witness” while his application to the Witness Protection Program is under review.
Mr. Remulla urged senators to allow the Justice department to complete its assessment, citing the seriousness of the allegations. He said a protected witness is entitled to security and benefits while testifying, even before full admission to the WPP.
Becoming a state witness, however, requires a separate process and depends on the significance of the testimony in securing convictions.
“Once a person is granted state witness status, they are discharged from criminal and civil liability,” Mr. Remulla said. “That’s why our first demand is restitution, because once discharged, we have nothing more to gain.”
The agency earlier provisionally accepted five others as protected witnesses: contractors Cezarah Rowena C. Discaya and her husband Pacifico F. Discaya and three former DPWH engineers — Henry C. Alcantara, Brice Ericson P. Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza. The engineers remain under Senate custody pending evaluation, though Mr. Remulla said they would also be given security.
Mr. Remulla also confirmed the National Bureau of Investigation is set to file charges of indirect bribery, malversation against those implicated in the flood control controversy.
“It is the same recommendation to (names from Mr. Alcantara), indirect bribery, malversations, and other charges under (Republic Act No.) 3019,” Mr. Remulla told reporters.
The Justice secretary confirmed that among those they intend to charge were Mr. Escudero, Ms. Binay, and Mr. Romualdez.
He added that he has already informed the Anti-Money Laundering Council to potentially freeze the accounts of the individuals named by Mr. Bernardo.
Mr. Remulla added that Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co is being tracked and has been included in an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) following a prior request by Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon.
“Yes, he’s being tracked already. We are trying to track him, and many people are helping.”
He added that reports of Mr. Co being in Spain are being verified with flight details received by the Justice department. — with Erika Mae P. Sinaking
