‘Jinggoy had P7.4 billion in congressional initiatives’

MANILA, Philippines– Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had at least P7.4 billion in “congressional efforts” in the 2025 budget plan, which had actually been authorized for financing, public works chief-turned-state witness Manuel Bonoan affirmed the other day before the Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division is hearing the petition for bail submitted by Estrada for his P573-million ransack case including declared kickbacks from flood control jobs.

Aside from the P7.4 billion, Estrada likewise had P475 million worth of facilities tasks in the 2025 spending plan shown a legislator, Bonoan stated.

In addition, the suspended senator likewise asked for a P1-billion “Senate management fund,” which was surged through then-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, according to the previous firm chief.

Bonoan stated Bernardo sent to him the list of Estrada’s asked for jobs. He stated the late DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral at first advised P500 million to be consisted of in the department’s proposed budget plan for 2025.

“After the addition of P500 million, Usec. Bernardo asked for an extra P500 million considering that Sen. Estrada is currently Senate President Pro Tempore. They are still requesting for extra P500 million for the availment of the Senate management fund,” Bonoan stated.

Bonoan stated Estrada made the extra demand of P500 million to apparently assist cover his election costs.

Estrada, nevertheless, did not run for election in 2025 considering that he was still serving his six-year term as senator, however it was his partner Precy who ran for a House seat in the 2025 surveys as very first candidate of BFF party-list.

Bonoan acknowledged he never ever talked to Estrada straight concerning his demands however relied generally on what Bernardo informed him which the task list did not bear the signature of Estrada.

He, nevertheless, declared that the suspended senator requested for a 25 percent dedication charge from the financing of the tasks.

Of the P1 billion, just P700 million was authorized for moneying under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Bonoan stated he made certain that it was the senator who asked for the jobs, pointing out Estrada and Bernardo’s close relationship.

“I do not have any factor to question since I understand the great senator and Usec Bernardo are great buddies,” he informed the court.

He stated Bernardo utilized to act as district engineer for DPWH’s Manila workplace throughout the regard to Estrada’s dad, previous president Joseph Estrada, as Manila mayor.

P5 billion in kickbacks for Alcantara

Carlo Rivera of the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office stated he provided at least P5 billion worth of dedication charges or kickbacks he gathered from professionals to his employer, previous DPWH Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara.

The quantity, he stated, is comparable to 25 percent of the expense of Bulacan facilities tasks from 2022 to 2025.

Rivera stated the cash was eventually provided to then House appropriations panel chair Zaldy Co, who then dispersed it to forecast supporters.

These consist of Bernardo, Estrada and previous senator Ramon Revilla Jr.

Rivera stated Alcantara forwarded the list of supporters for flood control tasks and simply communicated the details to him.

Furthermore, the 25 percent dedications were a part of the expense of Bulacan facilities jobs, which amounted to P519 million in 2022, P12.93 billion in 2023, P14.19 billion in 2024 and P7.385 billion in 2025, Rivera kept in mind.

He likewise informed the anti-graft court that the dedication charges from specialists were tagged under Co’s name, which he was the one calling the professionals for dedication charges.

He likewise declared he often accompanied specialists who provided money to Alcantara.

These specialists consist of: Topnotch Catalyst Builders, ARL Builders, Wawao Builders, IM Construction Corp. and SYMS Construction Trading.

Rivera stated he was entrusted by Alcantara to gather the dedication costs from 2022 to 2025.

He stated he personally followed up and gathered money dedications from specialists, counted the cash and marked the quantities on post-it notes before the funds were committed Alcantara.

Rivera affirmed that previous speaker Martin Romualdez was not amongst the advocates of flood control jobs, from which kickbacks were apparently gathered.

Rivera was suspended from his post from September 2025 to March 2026 and is presently on drifting status.