Bernardo's former aide says he delivered boxes, suitcases to Revilla, Estrada, several others

The former assistant to ex-Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed to have delivered multiple boxes, suitcases, and paper bags to several personalities linked to the flood control mess, but he was unable to disclose what was inside.

Appearing at the Sandiganbayan on Thursday, Vergel Niño Santos said he made deliveries to former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.; Senator Jinggoy Estrada; former Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar of the Department of Education; former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Cathy Cabral and former DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan; and a certain Carleen Villa.

Santos, who worked for Bernardo for 20 years as an assistant and occasionally as a driver, said that he followed Bernardo's orders to deliver 12 boxes to Revilla's "White House" in Cavite, 12 boxes to Estrada, four suitcases to Olaivar, eight boxes to Villa, one box and one paper bag to Cabral, and 55 boxes to Bonoan.

He said he only saw Revilla, Estrada, and Olaivar during the deliveries that took place between 2023 and 2025. 

“Mabigat po (It was heavy),” Santos said when asked by the Sandiganbayan justices how heavy the boxes he delivered were. 

Asked how big the boxes were by width, Santos replied, “Sobrang isang dangkal (More than one handspan)."

Regarding the height of the boxes, Santos replied, “Dalawang dangkal po (Two handspans),” Santos said. 

However, Santos said he had no idea what was in the paper bags, boxes, and suitcases he delivered. 

When Sandiganbayan justices questioned Santos about why he didn't ask Bernardo what was inside, Santos explained that he didn't inquire because Bernardo gets upset when he is asked.

Government prosecutors presented Santos during Revilla's bail hearing to corroborate the testimony of state witnesses Bernardo and former DPWH National Capital Region Regional Director engineer Gerard Opulencia that Bernardo directed Santos to deliver P250 million in cash to Revilla as commitment fee. 

Revilla's lawyer, Reody Anthony Balisi, initially objected to Santos' testimony on the ground that it was immaterial and irrelevant.

The former senator's camp said Santos was only meant to support the testimony of Bernardo and Opulencia, who claimed that the P250 million that Santos delivered to Revilla on Bernardo's orders "pertains to commitment from implementing offices of the National Capital Region (NCR)," which is not the location of the Pandi, Bulacan project that is the subject of the case.

However, the court rejected Balisi's objection since he could later cross-examine Santos, Bernardo, and Opulencia. —VBL, GMA News