Ched Rick Gatchalian

Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday denied allegations that he received kickbacks from flood control projects in his province Bulacan, following a bombshell from a DPWH engineer at the House of Representatives. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit/Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

'Napakadaling mag-doktor': Villanueva casts doubt on ex-DPWH officials’ photos linking him to corruption

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/1758182274274joel.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday denied allegations that he received kickbacks from flood control projects in his province Bulacan, following a bombshell from a DPWH engineer at the House of Representatives. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit/Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday denied allegations that he received kickbacks from flood control projects in his province Bulacan, following a bombshell from a DPWH engineer at the House of Representatives. <em>Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit/Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday challenged the photos shared by former DPWH officials that allegedly link him to corruption in flood control projects, saying such images can be easily manipulated in just &quot;20 seconds.&quot; </p><p>During the  Senate Blue Ribbon Committee&#x27;s hearing, Villanueva grilled former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez and former construction division chief Jaypee Mendoza over the legitimacy of their claims.</p><p>Hernandez earlier said Villanueva and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada received kickbacks from flood control projects in Bulacan. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/villanueva-denies-receiving-kickbacks-from-flood-control-projects-1557">&#x27;I will never betray my principle&#x27;: Villanueva denies receiving kickbacks from flood control projects</a></div><p>He and Mendoza showed photos that they took from Bulacan 1st district engineer Henry Alcantara&#x27;s phone — which supposedly shows disappearing messages between Alcantara and Villanueva whom at that time was asking for additional funding for multi-purpose buildings.</p><p>&quot;If we rely on pictures anyone can claim anything,&quot; Villanueva said, after presenting a fabricated screenshot alleging that Hernandez had been instructed by a lawmaker to implicate him in the anomalous projects.</p><p>Villanueva first asked Hernandez if he can remember the supposed conversation, which the latter denied.</p><p>&quot;Naalala mo message na &#x27;yan? Kasi may nakapagsabi sa akin na ikaw rin ito. Paano kung ipagpilitan kong ikaw rin &#x27;yan?&quot; the senator said, adding that such exchanges can be easily falsified. &quot;Let me show how easy it is to fake this one.&quot;</p><p>He then presented a demonstration showing how names and messages in Viber can supposedly be manipulated, including the meta data or the dates when the conversation supposedly occurred.</p><p>&quot;It took me 20 seconds to do that. Mr. Chairman maaaring sabihin na yung cellphone na nagpicture at ang meta data ng picture na ito ay para sabihin na kinuhanan talaga nung October 2023. Kanina si Mr. Jaypee nagsasabi baka 2022,&quot; Villanueva said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-tags-estrada-villanueva-in-alleged-flood-control-anomalies-1055">Ex-DPWH engineer tags Estrada, Villanueva in flood control anomalies; senators deny allegations</a></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/-AA27EApkLM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>FAKE DRIVER&#x27;S LICENSES</strong></div><p>Villanueva also brought up Hernandez and Mendoza’s alleged use of fake driver’s licenses to enter casinos.</p><p>The two are part of the so-called <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/17/ex-dpwh-engineers-alcantara-hernandez-lose-driver-s-licenses-for-using-fake-ones-at-casino-1957">&quot;Bulacan Group of Contractors&quot; </a>or &quot;BGC Boys&quot; — the individuals that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo &quot;Ping&quot; Lacson accused of posing as contractors during their casino dealing using fake identities and licenses.</p><p>&quot;May history ng pamemeke ng public documents ang dalawang ito, nameke rin po sila ng driver&#x27;s licence para makapaglaro sa casino kahit alam nilang krimen ito. Ngayon pa po ba sila matatakot Mr. Chairman, kung ikalulusot nila ito?&quot; Villanueva said.</p><p>But Hernandez and Mendoza maintained they did not know any of those licenses.</p><p>&quot;Your honor, wala po akong nahawakang ganyang klase ng ID po,&quot; Hernandez stressed.</p><p>&quot;Gano&#x27;n din po ako sir, katulad ng sinagot ko sa LTO, sinampahan na po kami, sinagot na po namin &#x27;yan sa LTO,&quot; Mendoza added.</p><p>The<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/17/ex-dpwh-engineers-alcantara-hernandez-lose-driver-s-licenses-for-using-fake-ones-at-casino-1957"> Land Transportation Office (LTO) already revoked Alcantara and Hernandez&#x27; driver’s licenses</a>. They are also now “perpetually disqualified” from obtaining any kind of driver’s license.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NOT A CA MEMBER</strong></div><p>Villanueva and Mendoza also clashed over the date of the supposed disappearing messages.</p><p>The senator was pointing out that he was not a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) in 2023, a claim that was stated in a supposed message from Villanueva that was shown in photos which Mendoza allegedly took.</p><p>&quot;Sabi ninyo rin po na myembro si Senator Villanueva ng Commission on Appointments, October 2023,&quot; he said.</p><p>But &quot;upon checking,&quot; Mendoza clarified it&#x27;s a different date.</p><p>&quot;October 4, 2022, 10:31 pm po.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Kakasabi mo lang kanina &#x27;yan din sinabi mo sa House,&quot; Villanueva said.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung 2023 po, 2023 dumating &#x27;yung project po,&quot; Mendoza added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/18/lacson-alleged-estrada-insertions-seen-in-2025-budget-none-for-villanueva-1347">&#x27;Wala kaming nakita&#x27;: Lacson says alleged Estrada insertions matched in 2025 budget, none for Villanueva</a></div><p>Villanueva argued that Mendoza&#x27;s claims were inconsistent, but Lacson — who chairs the Blue Ribbon Committee — allowed Mendoza to explain.</p><p>&quot;Kapag nagfafollow up si Sen Joel, totoo naman po na ang nirerequest niya ay multi-purpose buildings, pero that time ay &#x27;di kaya ang hinihingi ni Sen. Joel. Ang kaya lang that time ni Sec. [Manuel] Bonoan ay P600 million. Hindi maabot ang target na almost P1 billion, naisipan ni DE na i-convert sa flood control yung 600 million, which is kinuhanan po ng 25 percent yung mga contractor para ang maging total ay 150 million,&quot; Mendoza said.</p><p>&quot;Kung &#x27;yung sinasabi po kanina yung project po lumabas sa 2023, wala po siya sa GAA, mayroon po kaming convo ng chief of staff ni DE Henry na sinend po sa akin &#x27;yung list na naka-ayos na... heto po pakita ko po,&quot; he added.</p><p>Lacson asked Alcantara if Mendoza was saying the truth, but the district engineer disagreed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/12/villanueva-says-viral-photo-with-alcantara-taken-at-official-event-1143">Villanueva says viral photo with Alcantara taken at official event</a></div><p>&quot;Ang kinonfirm ko lang po na si Sen Joel na pwedeng malagyan ng multipurpose building, baka pwedeng mabigyan po ni Secretary. Mayroon daw pong request na pinapa-follow up po namin. But there&#x27;s no such thing as flood control,&quot; Alcantara said.</p><p>Villanueva also asked Alcantara if he ever endorsed any contractor or asked any flood control project to him.</p><p>&quot;Was there a time that I sked or nominated flood control programs sa inyo? Was there a time na nag-lobby si Sen Villanueva ng any contractor na ini-ednorse, pinakitaan, or ni-lobby sa iyo?&quot; the senator said.</p><p>Alcantara replied: &quot;Wala po, ever since po.&quot;</p><p>Both Hernandez and Mendoza maintained no third party instructed them to implicate Villanueva or use the said screenshots to support their allegations.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></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>Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday challenged the photos shared by former DPWH officials that allegedly link him to corruption in flood control projects, saying such images can be easily manipulated in just "20 seconds."</p>

Sen. Joel Villanueva on Tuesday challenged the photos shared by former DPWH officials that allegedly link him to corruption in flood control projects, saying such images can be easily manipulated in just "20 seconds."

'Napakadaling mag-doktor': Villanueva casts doubt on photos linking him to corruption

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'Napakadaling mag-doktor': Villanueva casts doubt on photos linking him to corruption

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 18, 2025 04:08 PM PHT

Read More:

Joel Villanueva

Flood control

Brice Hernandez

Jaypee Mendoza

Corruption

Ping Lascon

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

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