Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17737090323391773709030667.jpeg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects in Pasay City on January 19, 2026. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span> </div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified Tuesday that he received about P10 million annually from 2023 to 2025 through then DPWH-Mimaropa Regional Director Gerald Pacanan.</p><p>Bernardo told the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division that former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara informed him the money kept in sealed paper bags allegedly came from former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co.</p><p>His testimony came during the trial of DPWH-Mimaropa officials facing malversation charges over the construction of a road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.</p><p>Bernardo said his aide and driver notified him each time the money was delivered, but he did not personally see Pacanan handle or hand it over.</p><p>He also testified that he received P40 million in 2023 and 2024, and P20 million in 2025 from Alcantara. He said some of these were handed to him personally, while others were delivered through an aide.</p><p>Bernardo added that Alcantara told him that Co had instructed that the 2 percent be split between the two of them.</p><p>During questioning by the court, chaired by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, Bernardo said he understood the money was a &quot;token of gratitude&quot; and that the funds were connected to dealings linked to Co.</p><p>When asked by Fernandez whether he was told to overlook project deficiencies in exchange for the money, Bernardo said he accepted it out of fear, noting that Co was a high-ranking official and refusal could have jeopardized his dealings.</p><p>“Natatakot din po ako during the time that they offered and I wouldn’t accept, that it will be a hindrance to their dealings,” he told the court. </p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2033704924090126494&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-03-17T00%3A53%3A25.913902%3Ab0fbd51d-ba68-4ee0-8a7e-36bb759b2cbd%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=4c103c8d05c0decfe7e5d8bfcd655f176f1dc66f&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:517px;height:291px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2033704924090126494"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Fernandez further asked Bernardo if he found it unusual that Pacanan, rather than himself despite his higher position, was the one in contact with Co. Bernardo replied that Pacanan, as project implementer, had the authority to award and execute the projects.</p><p>Bernardo is under the Department of Justice’s Witness Protection Program.</p><p>On Thursday, DPWH-Mimaropa OIC Editha Babaran is expected to return to the witness stand. </p><p>Pacanan and DPWH-Mimaropa officials Gene Altea, Ruben Delos Santos Jr., Dominic Serrano, Lerma Cayco, Felisardo Casuno, Dennis Abagon, Juliet Calvo, and Montrexis Tamayo were earlier denied bail on malversation charges.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAIL </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano told reporters that Bernardo’s testimony before the anti-graft court would be crucial in tracing the money trail. </p><p>“Syempre, ‘yong ganong bagay are really the substance of the cases. Kasi alam naman po natin na hindi lahat dumadaan sa bangko. A lot of the transactions between and among the perpetrators of this case are really cash-based,” Clavano said in a press briefing.</p><p>“So to hear that from a person who was (at the) center in the method of the scheme, it is very important for us to follow the money or follow the trail of money,” he added.</p><p>Clavano also clarified that state witnesses like Bernardo are not granted blanket immunity when they testify in cases.</p><p>“Ang ibig sabihin nyan, kung meron siyang alam sa isang kaso in one transaction na willing siya magbigay ng information all the way to the most guilty, he will be immune as to that case only. It would be unfair na bibigyan siya ng blanket immunity,” the official said. </p><p>“Kasi if there will come a time that we find out that he&#x27;s not telling the truth but he&#x27;s the most guilty, then he will also have to be charged for that case,” he added. </p><div><iframe width="1349" height="759" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zgY97_qYe3Y" title="&#x27;100% luto na&#x27;: Bernardo idinetalye ang bidding process sa DPWH | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b-qZbVsIzz8" title="Bernardo emosyonal nang banggitin ang pagkakadawit ni Bonoan sa &#x27;kickback scheme&#x27; | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified Tuesday that he received about P10 million annually from 2023 to 2025 through then DPWH-Mimaropa Regional Director Gerald Pacanan. </p>

Former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified Tuesday that he received about P10 million annually from 2023 to 2025 through then DPWH-Mimaropa Regional Director Gerald Pacanan.

Bernardo testifies he got annual P10-million ‘balato’ from Zaldy Co via ex-DPWH-Mimaropa chief

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Bernardo testifies he got annual P10-million ‘balato’ from Zaldy Co via ex-DPWH-Mimaropa chief

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 17, 2026 08:58 AM PHT

|

Updated March 17, 2026 04:19 PM PHT

Read More:

corruption

flood control

baha

DPWH

Roberto Bernardo

DPWH Mimaropa

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