Jamaine Punzalan

Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan attends a House inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of various government flood control projects at the House of Representatives on September 2, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

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/1788424364588Screenshot 2026-09-03 at 4.32.33 PM.png" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align: left;">Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan attends a House inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of various government flood control projects at the House of Representatives on September 2, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA - (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan&rsquo;s bid to be released from detention after the court dropped him from plunder and graft cases over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.<br id="isPasted"><br>In a minute resolution promulgated on Thursday, the court directed PBGen Portia Manalad of the PNP Health Service General Hospital to release Bonoan from custody, &ldquo;unless he is being detained for other lawful reason.&rdquo;<br><br>This comes after Bonoan&rsquo;s counsel, Atty. Stefanie Ong asked the court to release Bonoan during Sen. Jinggoy Estrada&rsquo;s arraignment.<br><br>The Fifth Division previously granted the prosecution&rsquo;s bid to amend the charge sheet to discharge Bonoan as a co-accused of Estrada in the cases.<br><br>It also recalled the warrant of arrest and hold departure order against the former DPWH chief, who was under the PNP General Hospital&rsquo;s custody for almost three months.<br><br>The Office of the Ombudsman sought to exclude Bonoan from his cases to turn him into a state witness in other flood control cases, including the master case to defraud the national government being prepared against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.<br><br>Bonoan is still facing a graft charge before the court&rsquo;s Second Division, which earlier denied the prosecution&rsquo;s separate motion to remove his as Estrada&rsquo;s co-accused. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/1/sandiganbayan-grants-bid-to-discharge-bonoan-as-estrada-s-co-accused-in-plunder-graft-2113">Sandiganbayan grants prosecution&#39;s bid to discharge Bonoan as Estrada&#39;s co-accused in plunder, graft</a><br><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/3/remulla-ex-dpwh-chief-bonoan-will-be-state-witness-in-flood-control-corruption-cases-1507">Remulla: Ex-DPWH chief Bonoan will be state witness in flood control cases</a></div><div><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/E0FQnRvHtTs?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted Thursday former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan’s bid to be released after the court dropped him from plunder and graft cases over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.</p>

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted Thursday former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan’s bid to be released after the court dropped him from plunder and graft cases over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.

Sandiganbayan orders Bonoan's release

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Sandiganbayan orders Bonoan's release

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 03, 2026 04:31 PM PHT

|

Updated September 03, 2026 04:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Bonoan

flood control

Sandiganbayan

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