Alcantara tags Villanueva, Estrada, Revilla, Co in flood control mess

Metro Manila, Philippines - Dismissed Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara named four lawmakers as having received multimillion-peso kickbacks from flood control projects, as he faced the Senate blue ribbon panel on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

In his sworn testimony, Alcantara said former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo was the middleman for the questionable projects for senators Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla, and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.

The dismissed DPWH official said Villanueva asked P1.5 billion for a multipurpose building in 2022 but was only given P600 million from flood control funds in the 2023 unprogrammed appropriations.

He said 25 percent was given to the proponent, adding that he handed over P150 million to Villanueva’s staff to support the senator’s “future plans.”

“Hindi alam ni Sen. Joel na flood control ang naibigay sa kanya,” said Alcantara.

[Translation: Sen. Joel didn’t know it was from flood control projects.]

Alcantara also said Bernardo informed him during the 2024 budget hearing about a P355-million insertion attributed to Estrada for projects in Bulacan. He clarified that he had no direct dealings with the lawmaker.

He said Bernardo told him in 2024 that a P300-million insertion was allotted for Revilla who was seeking re-election at the time.

Instead of the usual 25 percent for proponents, he said Revilla’s kickback was 30 percent, equivalent to P90 million, to boost his election bid. The former senator lost in the 2025 midterm elections.

Meanwhile, Alcantara said from 2022 to 2025, Co has inserted funds in the Bulacan first district engineering office worth P35 billion:

+ P519 million in 2022

+ P12.9 billion (2023)

+ P14.2 billion (2024)

+ P7.4 billion (2025)

He said the party-list representative introduced the insertions through the national expenditure program, the bicameral conference committee, and unprogrammed allocations.

“Sa bawat proyekto na ipinapasok ni Cong. Zaldy, mayroon akong binibigay na obligasyon sa kanya para sa pondo base sa aming kasunduan,” saying the commission began at 20 percent in 2022, and went up to 25 percent in the following years.

[Translation: For every project that Congressman Zaldy initiates, I gave him an “obligation” based on the funds we agreed upon.]

Co has been out of the public eye since his name was dragged into the flood control scandal. He is seeking medical treatment in the United States, but the House of Representatives has revoked his travel authority and ordered him to return to the country.

NewsWatch Plus has reached out to the lawmakers. Villanueva, Estrada, and Co have denied their supposed involvement in the pocketing of public funds.

NewsWatch Plus senior correspondent Eimor Santos and correspondent Lance Mejico contributed to this report.