'Jinggoy had P7.4 billion in congressional initiatives’

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had at least P7.4 billion in “congressional initiatives” in the 2025 budget, which had been approved for funding, public works chief-turned-state witness Manuel Bonoan testified yesterday before the Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division is hearing the petition for bail filed by Estrada for his P573-million plunder case involving alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Aside from the P7.4 billion, Estrada also had P475 million worth of infrastructure projects in the 2025 budget shared with a lawmaker, Bonoan said.

Additionally, the suspended senator also requested for a P1-billion “Senate leadership fund,” which was coursed through then-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, according to the former agency chief.

Bonoan said Bernardo submitted to him the list of Estrada’s requested projects. He said the late DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral initially recommended P500 million to be included in the department’s proposed budget for 2025.

“After the inclusion of P500 million, Usec. Bernardo requested an additional P500 million since Sen. Estrada is already Senate President Pro Tempore. They are still asking for additional P500 million for the availment of the Senate leadership fund,” Bonoan said.

Bonoan said Estrada made the additional request of P500 million to allegedly help cover his election expenses.

Estrada, however, did not run for election in 2025 since he was still serving his six-year term as senator, but it was his wife Precy who ran for a House seat in the 2025 polls as first nominee of BFF party-list.

Bonoan acknowledged he never spoke to Estrada directly regarding his requests but relied mainly on what Bernardo told him and that the project list did not bear the signature of Estrada.

He, however, alleged that the suspended senator asked for a 25 percent commitment fee from the funding of the projects.

Of the P1 billion, only P700 million was approved for funding under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Bonoan said he was sure that it was the senator who requested the projects, citing Estrada and Bernardo’s close friendship.

“I do not have any reason to doubt because I know the good senator and Usec Bernardo are very good friends,” he told the court.

He said Bernardo used to serve as district engineer for DPWH’s Manila office during the term of Estrada’s father, former president Joseph Estrada, as Manila mayor.

Meanwhile, Carlo Rivera of the DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office said he delivered at least P5 billion worth of commitment fees or kickbacks he collected from contractors to his boss, former DPWH Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara.

The amount, he said, is equivalent to 25 percent of the cost of Bulacan infrastructure projects from 2022 to 2025.

Rivera said the money was ultimately delivered to then House appropriations panel chair Zaldy Co, who then distributed it to project proponents.

These include Bernardo, Estrada and former senator Ramon Revilla Jr.

Rivera said Alcantara forwarded the list of proponents for flood control projects and merely relayed the information to him.

Additionally, the 25 percent commitments were a portion of the cost of Bulacan infrastructure projects, which totaled P519 million in 2022, P12.93 billion in 2023, P14.19 billion in 2024 and P7.385 billion in 2025, Rivera noted.

He also told the anti-graft court that the commitment fees from contractors were tagged under Co’s name, and that he was the one contacting the contractors for commitment fees.

He also claimed he frequently accompanied contractors who delivered cash to Alcantara.

These contractors include: Topnotch Catalyst Builders, ARL Builders, Wawao Builders, IM Construction Corp. and SYMS Construction Trading.

Rivera said he was tasked by Alcantara to collect the commitment fees from 2022 to 2025.

He said he personally followed up and collected cash commitments from contractors, counted the money and marked the amounts on post-it notes before the funds were turned over to Alcantara.

Rivera testified that former speaker Martin Romualdez was not among the proponents of flood control projects, from which kickbacks were allegedly collected.

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

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