After several congressmen, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva have now been implicated in allegedly receiving kickbacks from government flood control projects.
The revelation came from former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez during the House Committee on Infrastructure hearing on Tuesday, September 9. Hernandez alleged that both Estrada and Villanueva pocketed kickbacks amounting to 30% of allocated project funds.
“Sabi ni Sen. Marcoleta kahapon (kay Estrada) ‘ligtas ka na’, hindi po ito totoo,” Hernandez said, referring to the exchange of jokes between Estrada and Senator Rodante Marcoleta during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing a day earlier.
According to Hernandez:
- Estrada allegedly funneled ₱355 million worth of projects in Bulacan for 2025, with a 30% “commitment” share.
- Villanueva, on the other hand, allegedly released ₱600 million worth of projects in 2023, also with a 30% cut.
Based on those figures, Estrada’s supposed share would amount to ₱106.5 million, while Villanueva’s would reach ₱180 million.
Hernandez claimed that the kickbacks were coursed through former DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara.
“Si DE Alcantara namin ang masasabing chief implementer, siya po ang kumakausap sa lahat ng pulitiko na involved dito, atleast 3% po siya sa lahat ng projects na dumadaan sa opisina namin,” Hernandez revealed.
He further alleged that Alcantara personally delivered the cash to the politicians involved, including Estrada, Villanueva, and recently resigned DPWH Undersecretary Robert Bernardo.
Alcantara, however, downplayed the allegations. He admitted Villanueva had requested infrastructure projects but insisted there was no mention of money.
“Yung una po, kay Sen. Joel (Villanueva) ang tanda ko po dyan, nagre-request po siya ng mga multi-purpose building kay Secretary (Manuel Bonoan) at that time, tapos po nung andun po kami sa hearing sa Senate, kinausap ko po sya, sabi nya ‘Nagre-request ako sa kay Secretary’, (sagot ko po) fa-follow up ko na lang, yun lang po yan, wala naman pong nakalagay dyan na financial sa kanya,” Alcantara said.
Among those challenged by Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno to waive bank secrecy for transparency, only Hernandez agreed to open his bank records.