Ex-DPWH chief Bonoan denies receiving over P2 billion in kickbacks

Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan on Monday denied receiving over P2 billion in kickbacks from government projects. 

At the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's hearing, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian cited former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo's affidavit, in which he alleged that Bonoan directed him to submit a list of projects for possible inclusion in the national expenditure program. 

“And in one of our budget hearings, I believe kinompyut ito ni Senator Lacson and Senator Kiko Pangilinan, ang SOP na napunta sa inyo is worth P2.25 billion since 2022. Ano pong masasabi niyo diyan?” the senator asked.

(And in one of our budget hearings, I believe Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senator Francis Pangilinan computed this—the 'SOP' that went to you is worth P2.25 billion since 2022. What can you say about that?) 

Bonoan responded that he had not seen the affidavit but that he had already denied the allegations. 

“I think I issued a denial on this at one point in time. I have not read the entire affidavit but I issued a denial. I don't even recall actually talking about any project at all. There would be proposals from them,” he said.

Gatchalian, however, pressed the former DPWH head on the matter. 

“But this is very clear na mayroon kayong allocated amount at nagsa-submit ng project sa inyo at binibigyan kayo kickback…kapag sinuma nating lahat ‘yan, aabot ‘yan to P2.2 billion,” he said. 

(But this is very clear that you have an allocated amount, and projects are being submitted to you for which you are given kickbacks... when we sum it all up, it reaches P2.2 billion.) 

Bonoan repeatedly denied the allegations. “I completely deny, your honor. I don't have any allocable amount,” he said.

Gatchalian then questioned how ghost projects slipped past him during his tenure as DPWH secretary. 

“And the fact is nandito tayo sa hearing because for the last four years, pinabayaan niyo mangyari ito under your watch…Secretary kayo ng DPWH, may mga ghost projects,” he said. 

(And the fact is, we are here at this hearing because for the last four years, you allowed this to happen under your watch... You were the secretary of DPWH, yet there are ghost projects.) 

“May 20%, 25% nangyayari sa ilalim po ng inyong opisina. Kaya ako ho, personally, naniniwala po ako dito. Paanong secretary palalampasin niyo itong nangyayari sa atin? Kaya ho tayo nandito sa  ganitong sitwasyon ngayon.”

(There is 20, 25% [kickbacks] happening under your office. That’s why I, personally, believe this. As Secretary, how could you let what is happening to us pass? That is why we are in this situation today.)  

Bonoan replied that he had “general oversight” when he was still leading the department. 

“Pero kung kasali kayo dito sa mga kickback, yang ‘oversight’ na ‘yan, walang kwenta ‘yan,” Gatchalian responded. 

(But if you are involved in these kickbacks, that "oversight" is worthless.) 

Bonoan again denied receiving kickbacks:  “And this is what I deny, your honor.” 

Bonoan returned to the country on Sunday after he was placed on the Bureau of Immigration’s Lookout Bulletin Order following a Department of Justice directive to monitor his travels amid the ongoing investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Ngu, Olaivar denials

During the hearing, tech magnate Maynard Ngu and former Education undersecretary Trygve Olaivar also denied the allegation that they were involved in flood control kickbacks, as claimed by Bernardo. 

“I absolutely denied all the allegations made by Usec. Bernardo. That’s the reason why I already filed the case against Usec. on defamatory insinuations. For this, I invoke the sub judice rule because it’s pending already with appropriate courts,” Ngu said. 

Bernardo had alleged that he funneled through Ngu 20%, or P160 million, of about P800 million of inserted projects for Valenzuela and Marinduque in the General Appropriations Act.

The P160 million, Bernardo said, was "meant for Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero."

Bernardo described Ngu as his "close friend" and said that he personally delivered cash to the latter's office in Manila.

Escudero has denied the allegations and said that he would sue Bernardo for what he described as "malicious allegations and innuendos" made against him. 

Olaivar, meanwhile, also stood firm that he had no hand in the flood control anomalies. 

“Ako po, I deny those allegations. Wala pong katotohonan—lahat po from communication, to nag-deliver, to kay ES daw po na wala naman personal kay Executive Secretary,” he said. 

(I deny those allegations. There is no truth to everything that was said against me from communication, to delivery, to my links with the Executive Secretary.) 

Bernardo had claimed that in 2024, Olaivar called him to discuss unprogrammed appropriations, allegedly for the Office of the Executive Secretary. He said Olaivar requested him to submit a list of projects.

Upon Bernardo's order, then-DPWH Bulacan 1st District district engineer Henry Alcantara supposedly submitted a list of projects worth P2.85 billion. Bernardo said he then submitted the list to Olaivar, who told him that the commitment is 15%.

Bernardo, on the other hand, said Monday that he would stand by his affidavit. 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) last Thursday announced that Bernardo is already considered a state witness in the government’s investigation into the flood control controversy. — with Giselle Ombay/BM, GMA Integrated News