Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Joel

Marilyn Cahatol

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/1757404377423cropped-photo-collage.png (2).png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><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. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit/Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span> MANILA — 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. </div><p>&quot;Wala po ako kailanman naging flood control project. Hindi ko po sasabihin na &#x27;I categorically deny this accusation&#x27; dahil po may resibo po tayo. Meron pong pwedeng iberipika bakit po ito nangyayari,&quot; Villanueva said during a Senate session Tuesday.</p><p>&quot;I will never betray my principle, I will never ever destroy the name that was given to me by my parents,&quot; he added.</p><p>Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez, during the House hearing, accused <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-tags-estrada-villanueva-in-alleged-flood-control-anomalies-1055">Villanueva and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada</a> of receiving kickbacks from the flood control projects.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;DISAPPEARING MESSAGES&#x27;</strong><strong><br/></strong></div><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/1757404505426545350639_1274132918095295_3629940310632282530_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Bulacan DPWH engineers Brice Hernandez and JP Mendoza presented before the House InfraComm pictures allegedly showing the closeness between ex-DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, piles of cash supposedly “for delivery” to politicians, and photos of disappearing messages between Alcantara and Sen. Joel Villanueva. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span>Hernandez and his fellow DPWH engineer Jaypee Mendoza showed photos of allegedly disappearing messages between their &quot;boss,&quot; former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara, and a &quot;Sen. Joel,&quot; who Mendoza said was Villanueva.</div><p>Mendoza noted that he captured the photos in October 2023, wherein Villanueva was allegedly requesting flood control projects from Alcantara. </p><p>&quot;Sa summary po na yan, sinasabi po ni Sen. Joel na mababa lang yung kaniyang pondo subalit majority floor leader siya that time and member siya ng Commission on Appointment,&quot; he said, explaining then supposed text messages.</p><p>Villanueva, in his defense, showed a video of him questioning the failed flood control projects in Bulacan two years ago, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also visited this year.</p><p>He claimed that his name surfaced in the engineer&#x27;s statement because he possesses affidavits of DPWH Bulacan personnel. </p><p>He said he was supposed to present the affidavit in Monday&#x27;s Senate hearing, but he failed to attend. </p><p>&quot;Alam ko po kung bakit lumabas ang pangalan ko. Kahapon po, may hawak po akong mga affidavits ng mga taga-DPWH sa Bulacan. Pinakita ko po sa kanila at sabi ko ibi-biring up ko po sa committee ni Sen. Marcoleta,&quot; he said. </p><p>The senator underscored he is willing to cooperate in the investigations. &quot;Sa mga susunod na pagdinig, ibibigay ko po lahat ng aking nalalaman, wala rin po akong sasantuhin.&quot;</p><p>The two engineers also revealed photos of Estrada posing with Alcantara, and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-shows-photos-of-money-intended-for-proponents-1346">stacks of money</a> in DPWH office and in their &quot;tambayan.&quot;</p><p>Estrada denied the allegations, daring Hernandez to take a<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/estrada-dares-ex-dpwh-engineer-hernandez-to-take-lie-detector-test-over-corruption-claims-1147"> lie detector test.<br/></a></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘DRACULA’</strong></div><p>Villanueva questioned if investigations are still after the mastermind, saying that former Senate President Francis Escudero has mentioned “a name that cannot be mentioned,” whom Villanueva called “Dracula.”</p><p>“Hinahanap pa ba natin ang mastermind? Dito rin po sa bulwagang ito unang nasabi yung binabanggit kahapon ni Senate President Escudero, ‘a name that cannot be mentioned.’ Walang iba kundi si Dracula na ginawang tagapagbantay ng Kamara doon po sa national blood bank natin,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/disacayas-says-corrupt-officials-used-them-in-anomalous-bidding-1114">Discaya couple says lawmakers, DPWH execs &#x27;used&#x27; them in flood control anomalies</a></div><p>“Ngayon, Mr. President, nasaan po si Dracula? Bumaba daw po ang dugo. Bakit? Kulang na ba ang supply ng dugo kaya sa iba humahanap ng dugo si Dracula?” he added.</p><p>Escudero, in his speech yesterday, said “the name that cannot be mentioned,” that was exposed under his Senate leadership, pertains to House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/lawmakers-deny-discaya-corruption-claims-in-flood-control-mess-1217">Romualdez, lawmakers deny &#x27;false, malicious&#x27; Discaya corruption claims</a></div><p>Villanueva said: “Klarong-klaro po kung nasaan na si Dracula, kung bakit bumaba ang dugo kasi hindi na po malaman kung saan itatago ang bilyun-bilyon o trilyong salapi kaya bumaba po ang dugo.”</p><p>“At mismong si Dracula sinasabing hindi naman nya gagawin ito kung walang basbas ng amo nya. Sino ba ang amo nya, Mr. President? Sino ba ang naglagay sa kanya bilang tagapagbantay ng national budget?” he said.</p><p>In the 19th Congress, Co was the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations while Romualdez was the House Speaker.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/zaldy-co-proposed-p13-8-b-insertions-for-flood-control-other-infra-in-2025-budget-1142">Zaldy Co proposed P13.8 billion insertions for flood control, other infra in 2025 budget: Tiangco</a></div><p>Villanueva said the accusation against him was of the same scheme as when the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/01/08/24/charter-change-through-peoples-initiative-what-is-it">people’s initiative</a> issue surfaced January last year, saying: “Scripted lahat kahit walang ebidensya i-contempt mo. Kahit walang ebidensya ipako mo sa krus.”</p><p>“Hindi po tayo natatakot sa mga ganitong uri ng demolition job. Handa rin po tayong madungisan ang ating pangalan. Mainsulto o batikusin kung ito naman po ang magliligtas sa ating mga kababayan at tuldok sa unli-baha,” he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e8ex_ab-RBI?si=E9vIJ3hrrVKIx5aU" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Joel Villanueva denied allegations that he received kickbacks from the flood control projects, saying he never engaged with such a project and that there were receipts to prove his innocence.</p>

Sen. Joel Villanueva denied allegations that he received kickbacks from the flood control projects, saying he never engaged with such a project and that there were receipts to prove his innocence.

'I will never betray my principle': Villanueva denies receiving kickbacks from flood control projects

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'I will never betray my principle': Villanueva denies receiving kickbacks from flood control projects

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 09, 2025 03:57 PM PHT

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Updated September 10, 2025 09:06 PM PHT

Read More:

Joel Villanueva

DPWH

Jinggoy Estrada

flood control

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