Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday asked for more time to submit his counter-affidavit in a malversation case regarding a flood control project in Bulacan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday.Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said preliminary investigation on a malversation case involving Topnotch Catalyst Builders was conducted today at 2 p.m.Among the respondents include Villanueva and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza.“Senator Joel Villanueva filed a motion for extension asking and [requested] the panel of prosecutors to be given until January 26 to file his counter-affidavit – which the panel of prosecutors granted,” Martinez told reporters.“Hanggang [January 26], mayroon siyang pagkakataon magsampa ng kontra-salaysay. I think it is also important for DOJ to clarify that Senator Villanueva is a respondent in not just one but three, in total, malversation cases before the DOJ,” he added. “Hindi na siya lumitaw today. The extension was granted until Jan. 26,” he said.The pending flood control cases at the DOJ are currently 14, the justice official said. The first batch or five malversation cases are related to SYMS Construction Trading and the projects are all located in Bulacan’s First Engineering District.Two of these cases were referred to the Ombudsman and were eventually filed with the Sandiganbayan, while three are “currently pending for resolution… and will be released within the week.”The second batch of cases – six in total – were filed at the DOJ and related to either Wawao Construction and Topnotch Catalyst Builders, he said, where one of Villanueva’s cases falls.“Yung anim na yun are currently pending with the DOJ in various different timelines. Lahat sila related sa Wawao and Topnotch and does not necessarily mean na sabay-sabay silang uusbong o gumagalaw. Lahat yan gumagalaw but in different stages,” Martinez said.According to the official, the last batch of cases are three plunder cases involving three high profile individuals.“[Those are] former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, Senator Bong Revilla, we have Senator Jinggoy Estrada,” he said.On Saturday, Prosecutor-General Richard Anthony Fadullon said some cases related to flood-control projects will be out for resolution this week.Among the cases up for resolution at the DOJ are those involving SYMS Construction and Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc, he said. Complaints against these firms were supposedly filed in early December 2025.Martinez urged the public to trust the justice process and the prosecutors. “There is a process we need to stick with, yung mga challenges, wala namang unique to the challenges we did not experience in the previous cases related to flood control. Parehong-pareho lang yan,” he said.“Magkakaiba ang proyekto per case. One case is equivalent to one project being investigated. The evidence for each ay iba-iba,” he said.

Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday asked for more time to submit his counter-affidavit in a malversation case regarding a flood control project in Bulacan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday.

Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday asked for more time to submit his counter-affidavit in a malversation case regarding a flood control project in Bulacan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday.

Villanueva asks for more time to submit counter-affidavit in Bulacan flood control case

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Villanueva asks for more time to submit counter-affidavit in Bulacan flood control case

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 20, 2026 06:07 PM PHT

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Department of Justice

DOJ

flood control

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