Ex-Bulacan district engineer admits going to casinos

Former Bulacan 1st district engineer Henry Alcantara, one of the people allegedly linked to anomalous flood control projects in the province, admitted Monday to playing in casinos along with his former assistant district engineer, Brice Hernandez.

Alcantara, who was previously named by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson in his comprehensive privilege speech into the alleged ghost projects in the country, said that he went to casinos at times with his former subordinate. 

“Your Honor, hindi ko po alam kung magkano tinataya niya dahil hindi naman po kami magkasama sa table. Inaamin ko po, ako po'y nakapasok sa casino,” Alcantara said during the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. 

(Your honor, I don't know how much he was betting because we weren't at the table together. I admit that I go to casinos.) 

Asked by Senator JV Ejercito how often they go to casinos in a month, the engineer said, “Mga dalawa hanggang tatlo po, Mr. Chair.” 

(Twice or thrice a month) 

Ejercito then said that CCTV footage of casinos should be gathered to prove the two engineers’ alleged “daily field trips” there. 

“Balita ko rin naman po eh kayo naman eh hindi masyado [tumataya], hanggang P30,000 to P50,000 lang, pero itong isang inyong sumunod sa inyo medyo mas malaki-laki,” the senator said. 

(I heard that you didn’t bet that much, only up to P30,000 to P50,000, but your subordinate was the one who was betting a lot of money.) 

90-day preventive suspension

Resigned Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan previously confirmed that Alcantara was placed on "floating status" as the agency awaited his explanation on the alleged ghost projects in Bulacan. 

But on Monday, Alcantara said that he is already on a 90-day preventive suspension “to give way for the investigation.” 

He also said that he has no idea where Hernandez currently is.

Alcantara also said that upon hearing the stern statement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) regarding the questionable flood control projects, he asked Hernandez—who back then already took over his post—to make an inventory of all the projects from 2022 to 2025.

He said that his former subordinate denied that there were defects in the projects, but a construction chief later on informed him of supposed anomalies. 

“August 3, 7 p.m., that was Sunday, pinatawag ko po lahat po sila, sabi ko totoo ba ang balita na merong mga projects na nabayaran without my knowledge? Kasi po explain ko lang po, ako po'y umaasa at nagtitiwala sa mga tao ko na lahat po sila ay nakapirma na, sa bandang huli ako po, ‘yun po aaminin ko may negligence on my part,” Alcantara said. 

(August 3, 7 p.m.,, that was Sunday, I called them and asked if the news was true that there were projects that have been paid without my knowledge. Because I was counting on and trusting my people that they've all signed, but I'll admit that there was negligence on my part.) 

“Kinausap ko po uli yung dalawa, sabi ko, bakit nagkakaganun may mga lumalabas? So from there po, since ako po'y hindi na parte ng Bulacan 1st [district], sila na po yung mga nakaupo dun, hindi ko na po alam yung sumunod na step na ginawa po nila,” he added. 

(I talked to the two of them again, and asked why there are such reports coming out? So from there, since I was no longer part of Bulacan 1st district, I didn’t know the next step they took.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News