Bernardo says Martin Romualdez did not ask him for DPWH projects, kickbacks - GMA Network

State witness and former Public Works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo on Thursday said that Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez did not ask him for a list of infrastructure projects in exchange of commitments or kickbacks.

Bernardo made the testimony during the hearing on the bail petition of Romualdez amid a P7.4-billion plunder case leveled against the latter alongside former House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co, personal assistant Joselyn Tragua Sereño, and Felicito Cristobal Guevarra, president of Samchan Foreign Exchange Corporation.

During the cross-examination conducted by Romualdez’s lawyer, Bernardo confirmed that in his six affidavits and two judicial affidavits, he did not mention that the former House speaker asked him for projects or kickback.

Asked if he never referred to Romualdez as a proponent, Bernardo answered in the affirmative.

Asked if the lawmaker never requested for list of projects from him, Bernardo said, “Yes, Ma'am. Hindi po (He did not make a request)."

“Wala pong ganun (There is no such kind),” he added.

Bernardo was also asked if he is aware of any commitment or kickback delivered to Romualdez, Bernardo said, “Wala po (None).”

He then said he mentioned Romualdez in his affidavits in the context of seeing the former Speaker during the birthday celebration of then DPWH secretary Mark Villar in September 2016.

Bernardo also admitted that he had a financial gain of 1% for every transaction involving then DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office District Engineer Henry Alcantara and Co.

He said that Alcantara and then-DPWH National Capital Region director Gerard Opulencia would provide the list of projects for proponent lawmakers for funding, and would also collect commitment fees from contractors since this will serve as kickback for proponents.

“Boss, hati na tayo sa (let's split the) 2%,” Bernardo recalled Alcantara as saying to him.

Asked by the Romualdez’s lawyer if he receives portion of the amount of a project cost, Bernardo replied, “in some cases.”

He, however, said he has no personal knowledge of the dealings between Alcantara and Co.

“Sinabi niya (Alcantara) [lang] po sa akin na nagdedeliver siya kay Zaldy Co (Alcantara told me he was making deliveries to Co),” Bernardo said.

The former DPWH undersecretary said Co only phoned him in 2021 to inquire about Alcantara.

“Sabi ko po maayos kausap si Alcantara (I vouched for Alcantara). Professional,” Bernardo said.

Bernardo was also quizzed by Romualdez’s defense team on his statement in his judicial affidavit that he came forward about the flood control scheme because the people who have helped him before did not help him when he was grilled in the Senate inquiry on the flood control mess.

Bernardo, however, said that the people turning their backs on him was not the only reason for him to tell the truth.

“Hindi ko po masasabi na 'yun lang ang dahilan. When I learned about ghost projects, hindi ko na po kayang dalhin iyon. Kailangan matigil 'yun,” Bernardo said.

(I cannot say that people turning their backs on me was my only reason. It became such a burden for me when I learned about ghost projects. That should stop.)

Also during his testimony, Bernardo said a cousin of Villar received a P25-million lump sum fund from the DPWH on behalf of the lawmaker during the latter's term as secretary of the agency.

Bernardo said Villar's cousin asked for 5% of the DPWH's P500-million lump sum fund back then during the senator's tenure as DPWH chief.

In response, Bernardo said Villar's cousin told him, "Usec, baka may mga pondo diyan na for release na pipirmahan ni Secretary."

(Usec, maybe you have funds for release that will be signed off by Villar.)

"I trusted (the cousin) that he was giving it (5% of P500 million) to Secretary Villar," Bernardo said.

"Siya ang kausap sa side ni Villar," Bernardo added.

(He is the contact on Villar's side.)

GMA News Online reached out to Villar and will update this story once a response is received.

In November last year, Villar denied Bernardo's claims before the Senate blue ribbon committee that the former received kickbacks off flood control projects. The senator asked the public to discerning and not to rush judgment based solely on one's sworn statement.

Asked by Sandiganbayan Third Division Associate Justice Karl Miranda if the money was given in cash, Bernardo answered in the affirmative.

Bernardo also said a government project can have two proponents who would ask for commitments, but that would be difficult to implement for district engineers who collect commitment fees from contractors.

He said contractors pay commitment fees in exchange of securing huge amounts of government contracts.

Bernardo defines a proponent as someone who causes the funding of the project, given that members of the House and the Senate have "allocables" per congressional district.

Asked by Associate Justice Ronald Moreno if there was a case of a proponent lawmaker who ever refused a commitment or kickback, Bernardo said, "Wala po akong alam na ganun na binibigyan tapos hindi tinagggap."

(I am not aware of anyone being offered money only for them to turn it down.)

Bernardo also reiterated his previous allegation that a number of senators got commitment fees off government projects, an accusation he made before the Senate blue ribbon panel inquiry on the flood control mess.

All three of them have all denied the allegations. Binay said she has been working quietly as Makati mayor when this alleged diversionary issue arose. For her part, Poe has said there was no evidence to support the filing of charges against her. Estrada, meanwhile, has denied that Bernardo sent him kickbacks. — AOL/ VDV, GMA News