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Daphne Galvez - The Philippine Star
January 22, 2026 | 12:00am
DOJ: Senator facing 3 malversation cases
MANILA, Philippines — Following the arrest and detention of former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in connection with the flood control scandal, could Sen. Joel Villanueva be next?
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Villanueva is facing three malversation cases, all of which are non-bailable.
“I think it’s also important to clarify that Senator Joel Villanueva is a respondent in not just one, but three malversation cases before the DOJ,” justice spokesman Polo Martinez said.
The complaints, Martinez said, are either under preliminary investigation or undergoing further review by prosecutors.
In one of the cases, Villanueva sought more time to submit his counter-affidavit and did not personally appear during the preliminary investigation on Jan. 20, Martinez noted.
Prosecutors granted his request to extend the deadline until Jan. 26.
The cases stemmed from the alleged misuse of public funds for a flood control project undertaken by Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. in Bulacan.
Aside from Villanueva, other respondents include former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza.
According to Martinez, there are 14 pending flood control cases at the DOJ. The first batch, which consists of five malversation cases, are related to SYMS Construction Trading and the projects are all located in Bulacan’s First Engineering District.
Two of these cases were referred to the ombudsman and were eventually filed with the Sandiganbayan, while three are currently pending for resolution.
The second batch, which includes six cases, were filed at the DOJ and related to either Wawao Construction or Topnotch Catalyst Builders.
The last batch, Martinez said, are three plunder cases involving three high profile individuals, namely former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co, former senator Bong Revilla and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
Martinez urged the public to trust the justice process and the prosecutors.
“There is a process we need to stick with. In terms of the challenges, there is nothing unique to the challenges (that) we did not experience in the previous cases related to flood control. It’s all the same,” he said.
Revilla co-accused nabbed
Meanwhile, police arrested Tuesday night in Obando town in Bulacan Revilla’s co-accused in a malversation case involving a P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi, also in Bulacan.
“So all of them are arrested, all are accounted for,” Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla told reporters yesterday following the arrest of Emelita Capistrano Juat, the sixth co-accused of Revilla.
Previously arrested were Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig, Juanito Mendoza and Christina Mae Pineda.
The 64-year-old Juat was arrested at Barangay Panghulo in Obando around 11 p.m., Region 3 police director Brig. Gen. Rogelio Peñones Jr. said.
VIP treatment?
According to political prisoners’ group Kapatid, Revilla’s detention at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas constituted special treatment.
Kapatid lamented that Revilla is housed in a 47-square-meter detention cell with at least five bunk beds, a toilet, a shower and a sink, which is suitable for at least 10 people.
“This is detention by privilege, not by law,” Kapatid spokesperson Fides Lim said in a statement yesterday. “The corrupt are literally cushioned, even provided with mattresses, while the poor and political prisoners endure overcrowded jails in the most inhumane conditions.”
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) assured the public that Revilla is not receiving any special treatment.
“Whatever privilege accorded to an ordinary detainee will be applied to all, even if he’s high profile or a former politician,” BJMP spokesman Supt. Jayrex Bustinera said over News5 yesterday.
“All cells have the same design, all detainees have the same food, visitation hours are the same and their human rights will be observed,” he added.
Remulla also reiterated that no special treatment was given to Revilla even if he accompanied the former senator and his life-long friend to the Sandiganbayan.
“The least I can do is to bring him there but the line stops there. The minute we entered the courtroom, I was out of there,” he said. – Emmanuel Tupas, EJ Macababbad, Ramon Efren Lazaro
