MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday dismissed claims circulating online that former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer Henry Alcantara has withdrawn his earlier statements linking himself and several lawmakers to alleged irregularities in flood control projects, stressing that no formal retraction has been filed with the department.
Justice Department spokesperson Polo Martinez said the DOJ has not received any affidavit or document indicating that Alcantara has recanted his previous testimony.
“The DOJ has not received or reviewed any affidavit from Henry Alcantara retracting his previous statements,” Martinez said.
Martinez issued the clarification amid reports that Alcantara supposedly denied involvement in questionable flood control projects through a counter-affidavit, including allegations that he received kickbacks tied to budget insertions.
The DOJ, however, said such claims do not reflect its official records, emphasizing that there has been “no official recantation” from Alcantara, “whether written or verbal.”
According to the department, no verified filing has been submitted that would negate Alcantara’s prior disclosures before investigators and lawmakers.
Alcantara earlier testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in September, where he implicated several senators and members of the House of Representatives in alleged budget insertions connected to DPWH infrastructure projects.
Those named by Alcantara — Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Bong Revilla, Zaldy Co, and Mitch Cajayon-Uy — have all denied the accusations.
During the hearing, Alcantara claimed that proponents of budget insertions typically received between 25 to 30 percent of the project amounts. He also said he did not personally transact with some lawmakers, alleging that the payments were coursed through former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo beginning in 2022.
He further stated that the funds involved were sourced from the General Appropriations Act, including unprogrammed allocations.
As part of the DOJ’s ongoing investigation, Alcantara surrendered P110 million in late November 2025 as restitution, followed by an additional P71 million turned over on December 19.
Following the second remittance, Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said Alcantara “has been provisionally admitted” into the Witness Protection Program and “now qualifies as a state witness.”/PN
