Jamaine Punzalan

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Rowegie Abanto

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/jCcSFuu3CtE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br id="isPasted"/></div><p>MANILA (<strong></strong>UPDATED<strong></strong>) — Former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara on Tuesday tagged several senators and House members who were allegedly involved in budget insertions and the kickback scheme for infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.</p><p>In a sworn statement, parts of which he read at Tuesday&#x27;s Senate hearing, Alcantara accused Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Joel Villanueva, former Sen. Bong Revilla, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy of receiving payoffs from their insertions in the national budget.</p><p>The lawmakers earlier denied the accusations.</p><p>Alcantara said proponents get 25 to 30 percent of the proposed insertions. </p><p>He said he had no direct dealings with some of the lawmakers, as the payoffs were allegedly delivered to former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo beginning in 2022.</p><p>Alcantara said the funds were sourced from the General Appropriations Act, including the unprogrammed funds.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ALLEGED INSERTIONS OF LAWMAKERS</strong></div><div> </div><p>Alcantara said insertions in the 2024 national budget included some P300 million for Revilla, who unsuccessfully ran for senator in 2025.</p><p>&quot;Sinabihan ako ni Usec Bernardo na ‘Henry kay Sen Bong yan baka gusto mo tumulong sa kanya e dagdagan mo ang proponent ikaw na bahala!’ Sinabi ko po kay Usec Bernardo na ‘Sige po boss wala po problema!’ Kaya po imbes na 25 percent ay naging 30 percent  ang naging proponent ng nasabing mga proyekto bilang tulong ko na din sa kandidatura ni Sen Bong Revilla,&quot; he said.</p><p>Alcantara also narrated that in 2022, Villanueva requested a multi-purpose building project worth P1.5 billion, but only P600 million was allotted for the project. </p><p>&quot;Hindi humingi ng partikular na proyekto o porsyento si Sen. Joel pero iniutos ni Usec. Bernardo na bigyan na lamang ng proyekto na may katumbas na P150M na proponent itong si Sen Joel. Dahil dito nabigyan si Sen. Joel ng proyekto sa Unprogrammed Appropriations noong 2023 na nagkakahalaga ng P600M na pawang mga flood control na mga proyekto at kung susumahin sa 25 percent  na proponent ay may halaga na P150M,&quot; Alcantara said.</p><p>He said that Villanueva was unaware that the funds were sourced from money meant for flood control programs.</p><p>&quot;Sa aking pagkakaalam ay ayaw ni Sen Joel ng mga proyektong flood control,&quot; he added.</p><p>Alcantara brought the P150 million to a resthouse in Barangay Igulot, Bocaue, Bulacan, and gave it to Villanueva&#x27;s supposed aide, &quot;Peng.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Sinabi ko kay Peng na pakibigay nalang kay Boss (Sen. Joel), tulong lamang iyon para sa future na plano niya. Pero hindi po nila alam na doon galing iyon sa flood control,&quot; he said.</p><p>When allegedly asked by Bernardo if Estrada still had P355 million during the 2024 budget hearing in the Senate, Alcantara said in the affirmative.</p><p>He said he was immediately ordered by Bernardo to submit a list of projects at that moment.</p><p>&quot;Agad-agad po akong nagpagawa ng listahan sa staff ko; at sa loob ng 10-15 minutes ay ipinasa ko na po ang listahan kay Usec. Bernardo,&quot; he said, noting that Estrada would get 25 percent of the projects but said he had no direct dealings with the senator.</p><div> </div><div><strong>&#x27;CO PROPOSED P35B INSERTIONS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Alcantara also claimed that Co proposed a total of P35.024 billion in insertions in a span of four years, or since 2022, to fund some 426 projects.</p><p>Co allegedly inserted the funds through the NEP, the bicameral conference committee, and through unprogrammed funds, said Alcantara.</p><p>&quot;Sa bawat proyekto na ipinapasok ni Cong. Zaldy, mayroon akong binibigay na ‘obligasyon’ sa kanya para sa pondo base sa aming kasunduan. Noong 2022, ang kaniyang hinihingi sa budget ng bawat proyekto ay dalawangpung porsyento (20%). Subalit noong taong 2023 hanggang 2025 ito ay tumaas ng limang porsyento o hanggang dalawangpu’t limang porsyento (25%),&quot; he said.</p><p>The delivery of kickbacks for Co was done in tranches, Alcantara alleged. </p><p>&quot;Ang pambayad para kay Cong. Zaldy ay nanggagaling sa mga advances mula sa mga kontratista pero hindi na alam ng mga kontratista kung para kanino ang advance. Ang pera na nakalaan para kay Cong. Zaldy ay dinadala sa akin,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Ako naman ang nagdadala o naghahatid ng hinihinging porsyento ni Cong. Zaldy sa iba’t ibang tao niya katulad nina Alyas Paul at Alyas Mark. May isa o’ dalawang beses na dinadala ko sa parking lot ng Shangri-La Hotel, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig ang porsyento ni Cong. Zaldy. Paminsan naman ay hinahatid ko ito sa kaniyang bahay,&quot; he added.</p><p>Alcantara also said former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy proposed P411 insertions in the national budget in 2022.</p><p>&quot;May usapan kami na ang gastos ay 10%. Ito ay ibinigay ko sa kanya sa isang restaurant sa Commonwealth Avenue, QC,&quot; he said, noting that the projects involved flood control structures in Bulacan.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ALLEGED INSERTIONS BY COA COMMISSIONER</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In 2022, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana asked for a list of flood control projects in Bulacan, said Alcantara.</p><p>That went on for the following years until 2025, he said.</p><p> According to a table in Alcantara&#x27;s affidavit, Lipana proposed P500 million through unprogrammed funds in 2023, P400 million through NEP in 2024, and P500 million in 2025, also through NEP.</p><p>&quot;Wala akong personal knowledge kung paano nila nakuha ang pondo at kung sino ang kausap nila,&quot; he said.</p><p>When asked by Sen. Kiko Pangilinan if he accepted bribes for the list of projects, Alcantara said he did not.</p><p>For Pangilinan, the allegations against Lipana could be an impeachable offense.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/coa-commissioner-s-contractor-wife-gets-nearly-p200-m-in-dpwh-flood-control-projects-gov-t-data-1648">COA commissioner’s contractor-wife gets nearly P200-M in DPWH flood control projects: gov’t data</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>ALLEGATIONS vs BERNARDO </strong></div><div> </div><p>In 2022, Alcantara said Bernardo released a total of P350 million to his engineering office for flood mitigation programs in Bulacan.</p><p>&quot;Sa P350M Bicam funds na nakasaad sa itaas, 20 percent o P70M ang aking nakolekta at idineliver kay Usec. Bernardo,&quot; he said.</p><p>In 2023, Alcantara said Bernardo released a total of P710 million. </p><p>Of the amount, P450 million was sourced from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and P260 million was from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) after insertions were made, he said.</p><p>&quot;Ang kasunduan ay 25 percent ang para sa proponent. May advance payment ito na 5 percent –15 percent na kalimiting hinihingi ni Usec. Bernardo kapag ganap na ang NEP base sa pagdinig sa Kamara de Representante,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Samantalang ang pondo sa Bicam ay may advance payment din na 5 percent - 10 percent na kalimitang hinihingi matapos ang deliberasyon ng BICAM at ang balanse ay babayaran ng buo paglabas ng GAA kung saan ang mga insertions ay maaaring makumpirma.&quot;</p><p>Alcantara said that in 2024, Bernardo released a total of P3.3 billion to his office.</p><p>He said proponents would still receive 25 percent of the projects, and advanced payments were made, depending on whether they were NEP or GAA insertions.</p><p>&quot;Kalimitang inuutusan ko ang aking driver na dalhin ang proponent kay Usec. Bernardo sa Diamond Hotel parking na diretsong inililipat sa kanyang sasakyan,&quot; he said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>UNPROGRAMMED FUNDS</strong></div><div> </div><p>That same year, Alcantara said Bernardo allocated some P2.850 billion to Alcantara&#x27;s office through unprogrammed appropriations. </p><p>&quot;Dito ay nagkaroon ng pagbabago sa porsyento ng proponent na ngayon ay umaabot na sa 30% kapag flood control, at 25% kapag ibang klaseng proyekto, na siya ko ding ibinibigay kay Usec Bernardo sa pamamagitan ng aking driver,&quot; Alcantara said.</p><p>He noted that the programs under the unprogrammed appropriations were not just flood control projects.</p><p>In 2025, Bernardo released some P2.550 billion to Alcantara&#x27;s office (P1.650 billion was from NEP, while P900 million was from GAA), he said.</p><p>The arrangement remained: 25 percent would go to the proponent, Alcantara said.</p><p>Bernardo is set to attend the resumption of the Senate inquiry on Thursday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said. </p><p>Alcantara broke his silence as he sought to be admitted to the witness protection program of the government, citing fears for his family&#x27;s safety.</p>

<p>Former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara on Tuesday tagged several senators and House members who were allegedly involved in the budget insertions in infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.</p>

Former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara on Tuesday tagged several senators and House members who were allegedly involved in the budget insertions in infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Ex-DPWH official Henry Alcantara tags Revilla, Estrada, Villanueva, Co in budget insertions, kickbacks

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Ex-DPWH official Henry Alcantara tags Revilla, Estrada, Villanueva, Co in budget insertions, kickbacks

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 23, 2025 10:41 AM PHT

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Updated September 23, 2025 04:31 PM PHT

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Henry Alcantara

Flood Control

Senate

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