Rowegie Abanto

Engineer JP Mendoza presents a screenshot of a phone conversation, allegedly between former Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara and Senator Joel Villanueva, as evidence during a congressional hearing on flood control projects at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><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><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATE) </strong>— The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumed its inquiry into the flood control controversy on Thursday, more than a week after Senators <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GReFwlYf_8c">Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were publicly implicated in the corruption</a> scandal.</p><p>Thursday&#x27;s hearing, the fourth installment of the probe that began last month, will be Sen. Panfilo Lacson&#x27;s first as the investigating panel&#x27;s chairperson. </p><p>During his opening statement, Lacson said the Blue Ribbon probe will not treat as &quot;competition&quot; other investigations into the flood control mess.</p><p>&quot;Let there be no mistake: this Committee does not view any parallel efforts, such as privilege speeches, or investigations as a form of intrusion or competition. But rather, these initiatives must be treated as complementary efforts toward a singular goal: to safeguard the public trust and to protect the interests of the Filipino people,&quot; Lacson said.</p><p>Lacson, who has been a prominent voice in the infrastructure corruption, replaced Sen. Rodante Marcoleta following a leadership <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/tito-sotto-details-scenes-before-senate-leadership-shakeup-1133">shakeup that saw Sen. Tito Sotto reclaim the Senate presidency.</a></p><p>Lacson said he would give Estrada and Villanueva an opportunity to &quot;confront&quot; Brice Hernandez, the former Bulacan First District assistant engineer who, at a House hearing, tagged them among lawmakers who were engaged in an alleged pay-off scheme involving flood control programs. </p><p>Both senators have denied the corruption allegation.</p><p>Hernandez, who was cited in contempt for<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/senate-panel-cites-ex-dpwh-exec-in-contempt-over-casino-grilling-1247"> allegedly lying about details of his casino habits</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1279751757533411&amp;set=pcb.1279752507533336">returned to the Senate&#x27;s custody from the Pasay jail</a> this week after senators <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/15/dela-rosa-slams-sotto-on-hernandez-detention-1816">wrangled </a>about where he should be detained.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/15/brice-hernandez-dismissed-from-dpwh-0943">Brice Hernandez, other DPWH Bulacan officials dismissed from service</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/16/gov-t-freezes-bank-accounts-of-contractors-in-flood-control-controversy-1627"></a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/16/gov-t-freezes-bank-accounts-of-contractors-in-flood-control-controversy-1627">Gov&#x27;t freezes bank accounts of contractors tagged in flood control projects controversy</a></div><p>On Wednesday, Estrada said his lawyers would file a case against Hernandez &quot;at the soonest possible time.&quot;</p><p>He said his family has been affected by the fresh corruption allegation against him.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m not a hypocrite to tell you we’re not affected, especially my family and my children,&quot; Estrada said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/16/funding-for-independent-commission-for-infrastructure-underway-dbm-1218">Funding for Independent Commission for Infrastructure underway – DBM</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CTz8aDj5HNQ" title="Lubog sa Katiwalian: An ABS-CBN News Special on Philippine Flood Control Projects (Full Documentary)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><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/GReFwlYf_8c?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumed its inquiry into the flood control controversy on Thursday, more than a week after Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were publicly implicated in the corruption scandal.</p>

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumed its inquiry into the flood control controversy on Thursday, more than a week after Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were publicly implicated in the corruption scandal.

Senate opens fourth flood control hearing as Estrada, Villanueva fight corruption allegations

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Senate opens fourth flood control hearing as Estrada, Villanueva fight corruption allegations

Rowegie Abanto,

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 18, 2025 09:00 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 18, 2025 09:21 AM PHT

Read More:

Flood Control

Panfilo Lacson

Joel Villanueva

Jinggoy Estrada

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

Senate

ABSNews

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