Ched Rick Gatchalian

Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file, Senate PRIB file

Article (news)

Lacson: Alleged Estrada insertions matched in 2025 budget, none for Villanueva

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758173514857inser.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file, Senate PRIB file</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA <strong>(4th UPDATE)</strong> — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said they found supposed flood control projects in Bulacan worth ₱600 million in the 2023 unprogrammed budget — which a former DPWH official linked to Sen. Joel Villanueva.</p><p>Lacson confirmed earlier that the committee identified P355 million worth of infrastructure project insertions in Bulacan — the amount linked to corruption claims against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.</p><p>&quot;Sinasabi mo nagbaba si Senator Estrada ng P355 [million], si Senator Villanueva nagbaba ng P600 [million],&quot; Lacson told former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez, who had accused both Villanueva and Estrada of corruption in flood control projects.</p><p>&quot;In fairness to him [Villanueva], hindi namin makita sa GAA &#x27;yung enumerations mo, &#x27;yung enumerated list of projects,&quot; Lacson said.</p><p>&quot;As far as Senator Jinggoy, nakita namin talaga &#x27;yung 7 items. Kasi for item, nagtugma sa sinabi mo,&quot; he added.</p><p>But later on, Hernandez pointed out that Villanueva&#x27;s alleged flood control projects came from unprogrammed funds in 2023 and were not included in line items from the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).</p><p>&quot;Hindi po 2025 &#x27;yung kay Senator Joel, hindi po,&quot; the former DPWH official said.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung pinakita po pala niya (Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian) kanina na unprogrammed ng General Appropriations Act ng 2023, doon po nakasama &#x27;yung listahan ng project ni Senator Joel,&quot; Hernandez added.</p><p>Lacson confirmed the P600 million allocation in Bulacan flood control projects, corroborating the testimony of Hernandez. He said they found seven or eight items in the unprogrammed funds of the 2023 GAA, but the committee will take this up in the next hearing.</p><p>Senator Imee Marcos pointed out that ghost projects might be in the unprogrammed appropriations.</p><p>Unprogrammed funds, based on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) website, are standby funds which can only be used if the government has extra revenue.</p><p>“Itong unprogrammed lumobo nang katakot-takot . Alam natin &#x27;yan. At no&#x27;ng 2021 nasa 176 billion, no&#x27;ng 2022 naging 251 [billion] pero kasama diyan&#x27; yung COVID procurement ng vaccines. Kasama rin &#x27;yan&#x27; yung mga health workers’ incentives.  No&#x27;ng 2023 from 251, naging 807. Baka&#x27; yung ating mga hinahanap na mga ghost project, ghost ab initio, sa umpisa pa lamang ghost na sila kasi nasa listahan ng unprogrammed,” Marcos remarked.</p><p>“Baka &#x27;yung hinahanap nating ghost projects wala nga sa listahan ng public works, ang DBM naman ang dapat managot,” she added.</p><p>Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the DBM to rethink the unprogrammed funds because this is becoming the department’s “pork barrel.”</p><p>Hernandez earlier alleged Estrada and Villanueva received &quot;commitments&quot; equal to about 30 percent of the project cost for some floodgates and pumping stations in Bulacan.</p><p>Estrada reiterated his innocence in corruption claims during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, saying Hernandez&#x27; allegations were &quot;lies&quot; and direct &quot;attacks&quot; to his reputation.</p><p>Villanueva meanwhile argued that the screenshots which Hernandez shown during the House TriCom hearing can be easily manipulated.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/18/villanueva-casts-doubt-on-ex-dpwh-officials-photos-linking-him-to-corruption-1608" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&#x27;Napakadaling mag-doktor&#x27;: Villanueva casts doubt on photos linking him to corruption</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>ESTRADA CONFRONTS HERNANDEZ</strong></div><p>Estrada, meanwhile, confronted Hernandez for tagging him in alleged kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects.</p><p>&quot;Nandito rin ako ngayon para ipakita sa lahat ng naniniwala sa kasinungalingan ni Brice Hernandez, na talagang walang katotohanan o basehan ang kanyang di umano’y takot na maibalik sa Senado,&quot; Estrada said.</p><p>He refuted Hernandez&#x27;s claim that he has a certain Beng Ramos in his staff.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ko siya naging staff kahit kailan, simula nung pumasok ako sa Senado noong 2004 up to the present, hindi ko naging staff si Beng Ramos. How did you come to that conclusion na naging staff si Beng Ramos?&quot; Estrada asked Hernandez.</p><p>&quot;Your Honor, si Boss Henry (Alcantara) po ang nagpakilala sa akin,&quot; the former Public Works district engineer responded.</p><p>Estrada then pressed how Hernandez concluded that Ramos&#x27; connection to the office of the senator.</p><p>&quot;Si Boss Henry po nagsabi sa akin na staff niyo daw po si Beng Ramos.&quot; Hernandez said.</p><p>Alcantara denied this.</p><p>Another contractor, Mina Jose, confirmed she did not go to his office and that they never communicated.</p><p>&quot;Ipinatawag ka sa hearing na ito dahil nabanggit ang pangalan mo at yung WJ Construction sa testimony ni Brice Hernandez sa Kongreso noong September 9, tama po ba?&quot; Estrada said. &quot;Okay. Ito pong text message na inilantad ni Bryce Hernandez doon sa House hearing. Okay? Natatandaan mo ba itong text message na ito?&quot;</p><p>&quot;Yes po, because I still have that in my phone,&quot; Jose said.</p><p>The panel however declined to have Beng Ramos sit in the hearings as she is being treated for cancer.</p><p>Jose later clarified that the deliveries in the text messages Hernandez referred to are documents for a joint venture and not cash.</p><p>Upon the questioning of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, Jose maintained she does not know Estrada and she never brought cash, prompting Marcoleta to remark that Estrada is now &quot;safe&quot;. <strong>- with a report from RG Cruz, Victorial Tulad, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vyOYDIO3VH0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W8jtCpN7D00?&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abs-cbn.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kpbqr2s2yEY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Lacson confirmed earlier that the committee identified P355 million worth of infrastructure project insertions in Bulacan — the amount linked to corruption claims against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.</p>

Lacson confirmed earlier that the committee identified P355 million worth of infrastructure project insertions in Bulacan — the amount linked to corruption claims against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Lacson: Alleged Estrada insertions seen in 2025 GAA; Villanueva's in 2023 unprogrammed funds

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Lacson: Alleged Estrada insertions seen in 2025 GAA; Villanueva's in 2023 unprogrammed funds

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 18, 2025 01:47 PM PHT

|

Updated September 18, 2025 09:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Ping Lacson

Joel Villanueva

Jinggoy Estrada

Flood control projects

Brice Hernandez

Bicam insertions

DPWH

Bulacan

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