Ched Rick Gatchalian

Former DPWH secretary Manuel M. Bonoan. ABS-CBN News/FILE

Article (news)

Castro says Marcos Jr. believes Bonoan will tell the truth

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17688895918602026011805014_b8aeba90cbc5035d38a7100de5b43c80ed9d6d6f93625ede0718c11a63fa165d.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former DPWH secretary Manuel M. Bonoan. ABS-CBN News/FILE"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former DPWH secretary Manuel M. Bonoan. <em>ABS-CBN News/FILE</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. still believes former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan’s testimonies before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Malacañang said on Tuesday, days after the former DPWH chief was accused of deliberately providing wrong project coordinates to mislead investigations into anomalous flood control projects.</p><p>“Naniniwala po ang Pangulo na si Sec. Manny Bonoan ay magsasabi ng katotohanan lalo na siya ay nasa Senado at under oath ang kaniyang sinsabi,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters.</p><p>“Kailangan tayong umasa na mga katotohanan lang ang kaniyang sasabihin,” she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/19/dpwh-usec-flood-control-projects-inspection-must-start-over-due-to-wrong-coordinates-1448">Inspection of flood control projects must start over due to wrong coordinates—DPWH usec</a></div><p>Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chair Panfilo “Ping” Lacson last week disclosed that he received a report that Bonoan submitted a wrong list of coordinates to the Sumbong sa Pangulo website, which listed all flood control projects in the Philippines from July 2022 to May 2025.</p><p>So far, Marcos Jr. has yet to order the current DPWH leadership to redo its investigations, Castro said, noting that Malacañang leaves it up to Sec. Vince Dizon “to make amendments, to correct everything so that the culprits will be held liable.”</p><p>“Kung ano po ang nangyaring pag-iimbestiga ngayon sabi naman po ng DPWH bago sila magsampa tinitingnan po nila nang maigi,” she said.</p><p>“Kung may pagkakamali, hindi naman po agad nila ito isinasampa at ang isinasampa po naman nila ayon na rin po kahapon ay iyong may tamang data at facts,” she said.</p><p>DPWH Undersecretary Arthur Bisnar earlier told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that investigations may need to start over due to discrepancies in the grid coordinates that will locate several flood control projects.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/17/dizon-confirms-previous-dpwh-leadership-submitted-wrong-flood-control-project-coordinates-2101">Dizon confirms previous DPWH leadership submitted wrong flood control project coordinates</a></div><p>Since mid-2025, authorities have inspected 10,238 flood control projects.</p><p>Of this, 252 were declared non-existent or “ghost.”</p><div><br/></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/eq1Wog5SMNI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. still believes former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan’s testimonies before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Malacañang said on Tuesday.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. still believes former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan’s testimonies before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Malacañang said on Tuesday.