Ex-DPWH chief Bonoan linked to alleged kickback with Villanueva

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

September 18, 2025 | 4:23pm

MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Manuel Bonoan has been tagged by a former agency employee in an alleged kickback scheme involving Sen. Joel Villanueva.

Sacked DPWH engineer Jaypee Mendoza, who was implicated in anomalous flood control schemes in Bulacan, alleged that his boss, former district engineer (DE) Henry Alcantara, initiated the flood control schemes after Villanueva allegedly asked for money.

"'Pag nag fo-follow up si Sen. Joel, totoo naman ang rinerequest niya ay multi-purpose building. Pero that time, na hindi kaya ibigay 'yung amount na hinihingi ni Senator Joel, ang kaya lang ni Secretary Manny Bonoan nung time na ‘yun, is P600 [million]. So hindi maabot na target na P1 billion mahigit. Naisipan po ni DE Henry na i-convert sa flood control 'yung P600 million na which is, kinuhanan po ng 25% 'yung mga contractor para ang maging total is P150 million,” Mendoza said in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday, September 18.

(When Sen. Joel would follow up, it is true that he requested a multi-purpose building. But that time, the amount could not be given to Senator Joel. Secretary Manny Bonoan could only allocate P600 million at the time. So it would not reach the target of over P1 billion. DE Henry decided to convert the P600 million into flood control, taking 25% from the contractors, so the total amounted to P150 million.)

In the House probe, Alcantara confirmed that Villanueva was asking for a multi-purpose building.

Citing a photo he took of a conversation between Alcantara and Villanueva, Mendoza said that the senator gave the DPWH official a list of projects where the flood control funds were converted.

Despite these projects coming out in 2023, they were allegedly not included in the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

Villanueva was able to face off with his accusers, Mendoza and former Bulacan 1st District Engineer Brice Hernandez.

Hernandez also presented photos of an alleged conversation between Alcantara and Villanueva during the House of Representatives’ probe.

During the Senate hearing, Villanueva showed Hernandez a picture of a doctored conversation between him and a congressman, which made it appear that Hernandez was being instructed to implicate Villanueva in the scheme.

Villanueva, who has denied any involvement, wanted to demonstrate how easy it was to falsely implicate someone through alleged photos. He also pointed out that both Hernandez and Mendoza have a history of faking documents, including using fake driver’s licenses to gamble in casinos. Both engineers have denied faking these as well.

“It pains me to think that this representation’s clean name was dragged, especially being a member of the Jesus is Lord Church. I want to say that there is a rule for everything,” Villanueva said.

Alcantara has disavowed almost all of Hernandez and Mendoza’s statements. However, he has been held in contempt by the committee after denying any knowledge of the ghost flood control projects.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo pointed out that it was impossible for Alcantara to know nothing about his underlings’ schemes.