MANILA — Former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara’s sworn affidavit submitted on Tuesday confirmed the earlier claim of his ex-deputy Brice Hernandez that millions of pesos in kickbacks were delivered to Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva.
But Alcanta’s 49-page affidavit contained more details, including the involvement of former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, former Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy, and Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana.
Both Alcantara and Hernandez alleged that Villanueva downloaded P600-million worth of projects in 2023. Hernandez claimed that the Bulakenyo senator received 30 percent in kickbacks, but Alcantara said that the lawmaker’s cut was only 25 percent.
Alcantara admitted to personally delivering P150 million to Villanueva’s rest house in Barangay Igulot in Bocaue, and left it with a staff named “Peng.”
“Sinabi ko kay Peng na pakibigay na lang kay Boss, tulong lamang iyon para sa future na plano niya pero hindi po niya alam na doon galing iyon sa flood control,” the former district engineer’s affidavit read.
“Matapos po noon ay hindi na kami nag-usap.”
While Hernandez’s allegations against Villanueva stopped at the amount of projects he downloaded to the DPWH Bulacan’s First District Engineering Office, Alcantara gave more details about how Villanueva pitched for a P1.5-billion multi-purpose building in 2022.
“Sa halagang P1.5 billion ay P600 million lamang ang napagbigyan na pondo… Hindi ito ikinatuwa ni Sen. Joel kaya napilitan kami gumawa ng paraan ni Usec. Bernardo,” Alcantara said.
“Hindi humingi ng partikular na proyekto o porsiyento si Sen. Joel pero inutos ni Usec. Bernardo na bigyan na lamang ng proyekto na may katumbas na P150 million na proponent itong si Sen. Joel,” he said.
“Hindi alam ni Sen. Joel na mga flood control ang mga proyektong inilaan sa kaniya dahil sa aking pagkakaalam ay ayaw ni Sen. Joel ng mga proyektong flood control.”
Villanueva has denied the allegations, and asserted that he is “fully prepared to be investigated on these allegations.”
“I have nothing to hide, and I welcome any inquiry that will bring out the truth,” he said in a manifestation hours after Alcantara submitted the affidavit to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
The two former DPWH officials’ statements about alleged Estrada’s involvement in the flood control scandal also matched in terms of the amount of projects, but differed in several details.
Both Alcantara and Hernandez claimed that Estrada downloaded P355-million worth of projects to their district under the 2025 national budget.
“Nasa 2024 budget hearing kami sa Senado… Habang kami ay naghihintay, tinanong ako ni Usec. Bernardo kung mayroon pa akong gustong lagyan at mayroon pang available na P355M si ‘SJE,’” Alcantara said.
“Agad-agad po akong nagpagawa ng listahan sa staff ko at sa loob ng 10-15 minutes ay ipinasa ko na po ang listahan kay Usec. Bernardo,” he said.
“Ang proponent po nito ay 25 percent [kickback]… Wala po akong direktang transaksyon o direktang pakikipag-ugnayan kay Sen. Jinggoy,” he said.
This statement is contrary to Hernandez’s claim that Alcantara is the “chief implementor” of the scheme as he allegedly is in charge of negotiating “with all involved politicians.”
Meantime, other government officials that were mentioned in Alcantara’s affidavit that were not included in Hernandez’s are as follows:
FORMER DPWH USEC. ROBERTO BERNARDO
- allegedly received 20 percent in kickback for every project
- kickbacks usually delivered to a hotel in Manila
- downloaded P350-M for 6 projects in 2022
- downloaded P710-M worth of projects in 2023
- downloaded P3.3-B worth of projects in 2024
AKO BICOL REP. ZALDY CO
- profitted from 426 projects worth P35.02-B
- charged 20 percent in kickbacks in 2022
- increased his rate to 25 percent since 2023
- payoffs usually delivered to his Pasig City home or dropped off in Taguig hotel
COA COMMISSIONER MARIO LIPANA
- asked for a list of flood control projects in Bulacan in 2022
- inserted projects amounting to P500M in 2023, P400M in 2024, P500M in 2025
FORMER CALOOCAN REP. MARY MITZI CAJAYON-UY
- asked for 10 percent in kickbacks
- kickbacks delivered to a restaurant in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City
- inserted P411-M worth of projects in the 2022 budget
Alcantara also mentioned a certain Ferdstar Builders that sought for a list of projects in Bulacan. He did not give further details as to how the construction firm may be involved in the scheme.
Magbubukid Party-List Rep. Ferdinand Beltran used to own Ferdstar Builders. Last week, Beltran denied involvement in anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan and dismissed allegations of conflict of interest.