Joel Villanueva submits counter-affidavit, presents 3 witnesses

Senator Joel Villanueva on Monday filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) his counter-affidavit for a graft complaint over the alleged delivery of around P150 million in kickbacks from a flood control project.

“Nandito tayo para ipakita ‘yung commitment natin sa due process at legal process. Kaya tayo nandito despite the fact na ‘yung paniniwala natin remains the same na ridiculous talaga ‘yung complaint,” Villanueva said in an ambush interview.

(We are here to show our commitment to due process and the legal process. That is why we are here despite the fact that our belief remains the same that the complaint is really ridiculous.)

The complaint was for direct bribery, corruption of public officials, malversation through falsification as well as violations of the Government Procurement Act and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, according to the DOJ.

Villanueva was linked to the controversy by dismissed Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara in September 2025.

Alcantara had testified that Villanueva received 25% worth of commissions. He said he delivered the money to a rest house in Bocaue, Bulacan and left it in the care of Villanueva’s personnel named “Peng.”

However, Villanueva’s legal counsel, lawyer Ramon Esguerra, said that Peng, the caretaker of the supposed rest house, and Villanueva’s chief of staff also executed an affidavit denying the allegations.

“Si Peng denied having met— he did not even know Alcantara was there. Sabi ko, kilala mo ba ‘yung pumasok. ‘Yung malaking tao. [Sabi niya] ngayon ko lang nakita ‘yun… Tapos sabi niya, basta sir kung ano ang sinabi ko sa affidavit, ‘yun ang katotohanan. I never met him on the day, the time that he said,” he said.

(Peng denied having met ... he did not even know Alcantara was there. I told him, do you know who entered? The big guy? He replied that it was the first time he saw [Alcantara]. Then he said that whatever he said in his affidavit, is the truth. I never met him on that day, the time was what he said.)

“‘Yung isa ‘yung may hawak ng susi na hindi niya binuksan ‘yung compound, ‘yung gate ng compound (The other one, who held the key, he didn't open the compound, the gate of the compound), again, on that particular date, particular time for anyone because nobody told him. And the only one who can instruct him to open the gate would be Senator Villanueva or the chief of staff,” he added.

Aside from this, Esguerra said that the complaint is full of “fatal flaws and inconsistencies.”

He noted that it is uncertain how much money Villanueva is being accused of receiving and there are varying accounts on the source of the alleged money.

Earlier, former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. also appeared before the DOJ to attend a preliminary probe on a separate complaint.

Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said the two hearings pertain to cases involving either WAWAO Builders or Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. for Bulacan projects. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News