Jamaine Punzalan

Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan arrives in a wheelchair at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on June 2, 2026, for his arraignment on graft charges involving allegedly anomalous flood control projects before the court’s Second Division. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL- Estrada/ Bonoan

Kaxandra Salonga

Allison Co

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/178651540336620260602-manuel-bonoan-arraignment-graft-case-JC3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan arrives in a wheelchair at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on June 2, 2026, for his arraignment on graft charges involving allegedly anomalous flood control projects before the court’s Second Division. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan testified on Wednesday that senators were allocated at least P500 million each under a DPWH “leadership” fund, while chairpersons of major Senate committees could receive up to P1 billion.</p><p>In his judicial affidavit, Bonoan said a total of P24 billion was allocated for senators, but the amount each senator received was subject to the discretion of then Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.</p><p>“In our discussions with Senate President Zubiri, we laid down the parameters and objectives of this fund. As Senate president, he would have discretion but there’s a threshold that each senator will get a minimum allocation of P500 million. Ang chairman ng major committees can be allocated P1 billion,” Bonoan said.</p><p>Zubiri served as the Senate president from July 2022 until May 2024.</p><p>He made the testimony at the Sandiganbayan&#x27;s Third Division, during the trial of former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. who is facing a malversation case over an alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/22/alcantara-testifies-p90-m-delivered-to-bernardo-to-be-given-to-revilla-1801">Alcantara testifies: P90-M delivered to Bernardo to be given to Revilla</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1596087952209807%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><div><em></em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/3/sandigan-denies-bid-to-drop-bonoan-graft-raps-1300"></a></div><div><strong>‘LEADERSHIP’ FUNDS </strong></div><p>Bonoan said Revilla received P1 billion in leadership funds because he was then chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works.</p><p>This was separate from the P7.4 billion congressional insertions of Revilla, according to Bonoan’s judicial affidavit.</p><p>He described the leadership fund as an ad hoc allocation in the DPWH budget intended to accommodate senators’ priority infrastructure projects.</p><p>“The leadership fund is a fund that was set up in the budget of the department. This is an ad hoc allocation for members of the Senate to include the priority projects of senators already in the budget,” Bonoan said.</p><p>Bonoan said the leadership fund was introduced in 2024 after the DPWH experienced significant cuts to its core programs in the 2023 budget.</p><p>He said new items introduced by lawmakers during congressional deliberations could be added to the DPWH budget without the department’s prior request, which he said disrupted the agency’s original spending plan.</p><p>“It disrupted the entire budget because of these new items and the amounts,” Bonoan said.</p><p>Bonoan said the leadership fund was intended to prevent such disruptions, but it failed to achieve that goal as Congress reportedly continued to introduce cuts and new items into the DPWH budget.</p><p>“To our dismay, it did not work,” he said.</p><p>Bonoan claimed all senators in fiscal year 2025 availed themselves of leadership funds, although he said there is “nothing wrong” in availing the said funds for projects.</p><p>When asked by the court if Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was among those who availed of the leadership funds, Bonoan said Lacson was not yet a senator at the time.</p><p>Associate Justice Ronald Moreno then asked Bonoan who had expressed thanks for his “assistance.” Bonoan mentioned Revilla and Sen. Imee Marcos.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/3/sandigan-denies-bid-to-drop-bonoan-graft-raps-1300">Sandiganbayan denies Ombudsman’s bid to drop Bonoan from graft case</a><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/31/ombudsman-still-trying-to-get-everything-bonoan-can-contribute-to-flood-control-case-2331">Ombudsman ‘still trying to get everything’ Bonoan can contribute to flood control case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PROJECT LISTS FOR PADILLA, GO, ESTRADA, REVILLA</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Bonoan also testified that former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo submitted to him lists of infrastructure projects for senators Bong Go and Robin Padilla in 2025.</p><p>He also corroborated Bernardo’s earlier testimony that he submitted project lists for Revilla and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.</p><p>“Usec. Bernardo came to me with the list. He mentioned to me the list is being proposed by Sen. Revilla for the availment of the leadership funds,” Bonoan said.</p><p>He said Bernardo was close to Revilla and Estrada and often acted as a liaison between the senators and the DPWH.</p><p>“Usec. Bernardo and Sen. Revilla are very close. In fact, every time I have to visit Sen. Revilla it was always through Sec. Bernardo. Ang alam ko po magkumpare sila,” he said.</p><p>Bonoan said Bernardo had also submitted Revilla’s list of projects for leadership funds in 2024, which made him certain that Bernardo was acting on the former senator’s behalf.</p><p>“I have no doubt that Usec. Bernardo was the one to liaise concerns of Revilla with DPWH. In 2024 it was also through him,” Bonoan said.</p><p>In his judicial affidavit, Bonoan corroborated the previous testimony of Engr. Peter Paul Cortes, chief of the DPWH Programming Division, which confirmed the existence of an errata dated Sept. 2024 that named Revilla as proponent of the Pandi, Bulacan project.  </p><p>Cortes earlier said the corrected list was later submitted to the House Committee on Appropriations.</p><p>Bonoan said senators could submit their priority project lists through his office, the DPWH Planning Service, or the late Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral’s office. The proposals would undergo vetting before being included in the department’s proposed budget.</p><p>“There is no prescribed form because this is an ad hoc,” Bonoan said.</p><p>He said a senator did not necessarily have to personally sign the list. The person submitting it would identify the senator as the proponent.</p><p>During cross-examination, Bonoan said he relied on DPWH Planning Service records and Bernardo’s statements in identifying Revilla as the proponent.</p><p>Bonoan also said he had not seen a document signed by Revilla requesting that the subject flood control project be included in the budget.</p><p>Meanwhile, Bonoan invoked his right against self-incrimination when asked if he received kickbacks from government projects in a separate plunder case involving Estrada.</p><p>The court set the defense’s presentation of evidence on September 1 and 3. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>IMEE DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF ASSISTANCE  </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1531111484916651%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong>After Bonoan’s testimony, Sen. Marcos denied any knowledge on any special assistance provided for infrastructure projects.</div><p>“Nagpapasalamat saan? Parati naman ako nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng department kung meron silang gagawin sa Ilocos Norte,” she said.</p><p>Marcos said Bonoan is a friend and a fellow Ilocano but said she does not know what assistance the latter is referring to. </p><p>“Kaibigan, kababayan ko si Secretary Bonoan. Hindi ko alam kung anong pasasalamat ang tinutukoy diyan,” she said. </p><p>Marcos said she could not speak for the other senators.</p><p>“I think you have to interview them, wala akong alam,” she said.</p><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>Former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan testified on Wednesday that senators were allocated at least P500 million each under a DPWH “leadership” fund, while chairpersons of major Senate committees could receive up to P1 billion.</p>

Former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan testified on Wednesday that senators were allocated at least P500 million each under a DPWH “leadership” fund, while chairpersons of major Senate committees could receive up to P1 billion.

Bonoan: At least P500-million DPWH ‘leadership funds’ allocated to each senator in FY 2025

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Bonoan: At least P500-million DPWH ‘leadership funds’ allocated to each senator in FY 2025

Kaxandra Salonga,

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 12, 2026 08:50 AM PHT

|

Updated August 21, 2026 08:00 PM PHT

Read More:

Revilla

Bonoan

DPWH

Sandiganbayan

malversation

flood control

baha

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription. If you don’t see it, please check your spam or junk folder.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.