Alcantara names lawmakers, former exec in alleged flood fund racket

Dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara on Tuesday implicated former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and several lawmakers in an alleged multi-billion-peso flood control fund racket.

During a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on corruption in flood mitigation programs, Alcantara admitted that starting in 2022, his district engineering office (DEO) facilitated commissions or “cuts” for lawmakers from funds channeled to his office, allegedly under the instructions of Bernardo.

“Taong 2022 nagsimulang magbaba ng pondo sa aking DO si Usec. Bernardo, ang kasunduan ay 25% para sa proponent (In 2022, Usec. Bernardo began channeling huge funds to my District Office, and the agreement was that 25% of the project budget would go to the proponent),” Alcantara told the Senate panel.

He named as beneficiaries Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senator Joel Villanueva, former Senator Bong Revilla Jr., Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co, and former Caloocan Representative Mitch Cajayon. Alcantara said part of the “commission” was often advanced, ranging from 5% to 15% of the project cost, typically following bicameral budget deliberations, and usually at Bernardo’s behest.

Alcantara detailed the ballooning budget allocations to his office over three years: P350 million in 2022, P710 million in 2023, and P3.3 billion in 2024. Of the 2024 funds, P2.85 billion came from unprogrammed appropriations, which are meant to be released only when revenue targets are exceeded or when authorized by special laws.

“Nung naipapababa na ‘yun sa aking DO, nagpatuloy ang 25% na bayad sa proponent ng mga proyektong ito na binibigay ko kay Usec Bernardo (Once those funds reached my District Office, the 25% payments to proponents continued, and I handed these over to Usec Bernardo),” he added.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla requested Alcantara’s presence at the Department of Justice (DOJ), citing the significance of an affidavit that could determine eligibility for the Witness Protection Program.

“I hope I will be allowed to bring Mr. Alcantara to the DOJ this morning so that we can evaluate this affidavit in full, given, and then we can also ask him to sign documents that may be necessary to pursue so many factors mentioned in this affidavit,” Remulla told the Senate panel.