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Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star
January 17, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan has pledged to return to the Philippines from the United States on Feb. 15 to face ongoing investigations into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Bonoan requested an extension of his stay abroad due to his wife’s medical condition, which was granted by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“We know where he is. He’s not hiding. He’s in California now and he asked for permission if he can stay for another month because his wife has eye problems,” Romualdez said in a radio interview.
“We are prepared to help him if he needs assistance. He told me he’s not hiding and will definitely return to the Philippines. He told me he was given an extension. That’s my understanding,” he added.
Amid this news, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla cautioned that if Bonoan does not keep his word and come back, he could face deportation from the US for overstaying.
“Even if he has an application for an extension of stay… technically, they can kick him out… So it’s better to just come home,” Remulla said.
Bonoan is under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged involvement in a P72.3-million ghost flood control project in Plaridel, Bulacan.
In its fourth interim report submitted in November last year, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure recommended filing administrative charges of grave misconduct, gross dishonesty, and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials (RA 6713) against Bonoan and several former Department of Public Works and Highways officials.
The ombudsman is also investigating claims that Bonoan submitted inaccurate coordinate maps for thousands of flood control projects to Malacañang, allegedly to obstruct the probe.
Bonoan resigned as DPWH secretary in August last year after alleged irregularities in the agency’s flood control projects drew public attention.
He left for the US via Taiwan on Nov. 11, 2025, with plans to return on Dec. 17 but extended his stay due to his wife’s health.
Aside from Bonoan, the Senate has summoned fugitive ex-Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co and 10 others for the next Blue Ribbon committee hearing on alleged flood control corruption.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed signing 12 subpoenas for Bonoan, Co, former Department of Education undersecretary Trygve Olaivar, former Marine-turned-whistleblower Orly Guteza, businessman Maynard Ngu, DPWH NCR Director Gerald Opulencia, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, Carleen Yap-Villa, DPWH engineers Gerald Pacanan and Arjay Domasig, and Co’s alleged aides John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay.
Co is accused of earning P8.7 billion in kickbacks from P35.024 billion worth of projects in Bulacan from 2022 to 2025.
Olaivar was allegedly involved in facilitating a 12-percent kickback for then Senate Finance Chair Sonny Angara, which both denied.
Guteza claimed he delivered kickbacks to former Speaker Martin Romualdez and Co but has not appeared since.
Ngu was accused of acting as “bagman” for Sen. Francis Escudero for P280 million in kickbacks, which both denied.
Other officials and aides were implicated in similar schemes: Yap-Villa allegedly helped former senator Nancy Binay collect a 15-percent commission from projects; Opulencia was accused of delivering kickbacks for Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and preparing project lists for Grace Poe; Lipana reportedly accessed Bulacan project lists using his position; Pacanan and Domasig were linked to illegal kickback schemes, including casino laundering.
Many have denied the allegations, and some, like Opulencia, became state witnesses.
Those who fail to attend the Jan. 19 hearing will be cited in contempt and arrested.
Sotto also confirmed subpoenas for DPWH flood control project documents, including the alleged “Cabral files” of the late DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral.
Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, who has copies of the Cabral files, said he will attend the hearing “if not silenced.”
In a separate development, the DOJ confirmed that Justice Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz has returned to work despite filing his resignation in December last year after being implicated in the flood control scam.
“He remains undersecretary for the Immigration and Special Concerns Cluster,” DOJ spokesperson Raphael Niccolo Martinez said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Elizabeth Marcelo, Jose Rodel Clapano
