Ched Rick Gatchalian

Engineer Brice Hernandez presents a photo from his cellphone showing Engineer Henry Alcantara with Senator Jinggoy Estrada, along with an image of a pile of money, during a congressional hearing on ghost flood control projects at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Stacks of cash in photos are payments collected by contractors 'renting' out licenses: Alcantara

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/1757407819082flood.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Engineer Brice Hernandez presents a photo from his cellphone showing Engineer Henry Alcantara with Senator Jinggoy Estrada, along with an image of a pile of money, during a congressional hearing on ghost flood control projects at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em><br id="isPasted"/> </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The stacks of cash shown during the House probe on flood control projects were for contractors that &quot;borrowed&quot; licenses from other firms, former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara said Tuesday, rejecting accusations that the money was linked to lawmakers. </p><p>Alcantara&#x27;s former subordinate Brice Hernandez claimed earlier in the hearing that their office collected money for various individuals, allegedly including Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva. Hernandez showed photos of P1,000 bills piled on a table, which he said were intended to be delivered to project &quot;proponents&quot; that Alcantara had talked to.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-shows-photos-of-money-intended-for-proponents-1346">Ex-DPWH engineer shows photos of money intended for &#x27;proponents&#x27;</a></div><p>But Alcantara said the money was meant for contractors that carried out the work on behalf of winning bidders.</p><p>&quot;May mga kaibigan po na nakikigamit po ng lisensya ng ibang contractor, nagkataon po na iyon ay sabay-sabay nakolekta. Maaaring isa, dalawang, tatlong magkakaibigan po. Dinala lang po, nakita po na pini-picture-an ng mga kaibigan po,&quot; Alcantara told the House Infrastructure Committee.</p><p>&quot;Iyon po ay halimbawa po ay natapos na po ng tao &#x27;yung project po, yung koleksyon ay idadaan po sa may-ari ng lisensya tapos ibibigay na po sa mismong gumawa po,&quot; he added. </p><p>ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio questioned if this scheme is legal.</p><p>&quot;District engineer ka, legal ba &#x27;yon according to our procurement laws? Nagpapagamit ng lisensya? Sinasabi nila, &#x27;yan din modus din ng Discaya,&quot; the lawmaker said.</p><p>Alcantara replied, &quot;Di ko po matandaan, your honor.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/dismissed-dpwh-exec-ok-to-reveal-saln-but-not-bank-telco-records-1457">Dismissed DPWH exec OK to reveal SALN but not bank, telco records</a></div><p>Tinio noted that some firms that bidding winners who only borrowed licenses might not have been qualified enough for projects that later turned out to &quot;ghost&quot; structures or could have used substandard materials.</p><p>In the same hearing, Hernandez also showed photos of Alcantara&#x27;s alleged conversation with Villanueva. </p><p>&quot;Ang tanda ko po ay nagfo-follow up po siya ng request sa akin ng multipurpose building at barangay hall,&quot; Alcantara said of the supposed conversation.</p><p>He said was close to the senator and only communicated with him that time. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/villanueva-denies-receiving-kickbacks-from-flood-control-projects-1557">Villanueva denies receiving kickbacks from flood control projects</a></div><p>The dismissed district engineer added that he had no personal relationship with Estrada, despite previously working in the local government of Manila, where the senator&#x27;s father, former President Erap Estrada, was a mayor. </p><p>&quot;Hindi ko po siya kaibigan, hindi po ako nakakalapit sa kanya, hindi po ako nakakapunta sa kanila, maliban po noong akong naging empleyado sa city hall. Trabaho lang po,&quot; Alcantara said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/jinggoy-threatens-to-sue-ex-dpwh-engineer-who-accused-him-of-corruption-1519">Jinggoy threatens to sue ex-DPWH engineer who accused him of corruption</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</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/qc-3oe0I1XY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The stacks of cash shown during the House probe on flood control projects were for contractors that "borrowed" licenses from other firms, former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara said Tuesday,</p>

The stacks of cash shown during the House probe on flood control projects were for contractors that "borrowed" licenses from other firms, former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara said Tuesday,

'Legal ba 'yon?': Ex-DPWH exec says piles of cash are for contractors borrowing licenses, not project proponents

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'Legal ba 'yon?': Ex-DPWH exec says piles of cash are for contractors borrowing licenses, not project proponents

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 09, 2025 05:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Henry Alcantara

Flood control projects

Bulacan

DPWH

Department of Public Works and Highways

Contractors

Bidding

House Infra Committee

Antonio Tinio

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