MANILA, Philippines — A former district engineer implicated 2 incumbent and 2 former lawmakers in the multibillion-peso flood control corruption at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Testifying before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday, former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara presented a detailed sworn statement on the massive corruption at the DPWH linking, among others, Senators Jimggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, former senator Bong Revilla and Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co.
Alcantara said he first met DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo while both were in Laguna, crediting Bernardo with facilitating his appointment as District Engineer in Bulacan in 2019 under then-DPWH Secretary Mark Villar. Alcantara testified that starting in 2022, Bernardo began directing project funds to Alcantara’s office, with 25 percent earmarked for project proponents, sometimes delivered through Alcantara or his driver.
He said in 2022, P350 million in projects were managed under this scheme, increasing to P710 million in 2023, with P450 million from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and P260 million from the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Advance payments ranging from 5 to 15 percent were allegedly collected for proponents after net approval, while balances were paid after GAA release.
Alcantara said in 2024, total allocations reached P3.3 billion — P150 million in net, P300 million in GAA, and P2.85 billion in unprogrammed allocations (UA). By 2025, funds reportedly totaled P2.55 billion, again with 25 percent retained by proponents. Alcantara claimed he sometimes delivered the proponent share to Bernardo in discreet locations such as in the parking lot of a hotel in Manila.
Regarding Revilla, Alcantara said that in 2024, P300 million from GAA projects were allocated for three flood control structures in Bulacan — along the Angat River in Sipat Plaridel, along the Angat River in Lumang Bayan, and along Guiguinto River Malis Section. Bernardo allegedly instructed Alcantara to channel these funds for Revilla’s use, but Alcantara clarified that he never met the senator personally.
On Estrada, Alcantara testified that in 2024, he submitted a P355 million project list of flood-control pumping stations to Bernardo for Estrada. Alcantara stressed he had no direct contact with Estrada and that all transactions were coordinated through Bernardo.
Concerning Villanueva, Alcantara said in 2022 the senator requested a P1.5 billion multi-purpose building, of which only P600 million was funded. Because the original request could not be accommodated, Bernardo instructed Alcantara to redirect the allocation to flood control projects, with P150 million (25 percent proponent share) delivered to Villanueva’s intermediary, Langpong Peng, without Villanueva’s knowledge.
Co, referred to as “Cong Saldi,” was first met by Alcantara in August or September 2021 at a Shangri-La Bonifacio meeting.
From 2022 to 2025, Alcantara said he facilitated over 426 projects in Co’s district, with a combined value of at least P35.24 billion. Payments to Co were allegedly coordinated via intermediaries using Viber disappearing messages and sometimes delivered directly to Co’s residence in Pasig City. Advance payments were collected differently depending on whether the project was under NEP, GAA, or UA, with initial portions delivered quickly and the balance after formal GAA approval.
Alcantara also presented photographic evidence from prior hearings showing large sums of cash intended for Co’s proponent share, including P519 million in 2022 (20 percent share) and P5.79 billion in 2023 (10 percent advance payment).
Alcantara said the sworn statement was made in good faith to cooperate with Senate investigations, the House of Representatives, and other government agencies, with the goal of holding accountable all individuals involved in the alleged mismanagement and corruption of DPWH funds.
