MANILA — In a stunning Senate testimony that shook the halls of power, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo not only confessed to pocketing dirty money but also directly named Sen. Francis Escudero, former senators Bong Revilla and Nancy Binay, and Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co as alleged beneficiaries of multimillion-peso commissions from flood control projects.
“Ako po ay umaamin sa aking maling nagawa. Ako po ay hindi naging matatag at tapat sa pagpapatupad ng tungkulin na ipinagkatiwala ng ating pamahalaan at sambayanan,” Bernardo told lawmakers, his voice breaking as he publicly apologized for his role in the scheme.
“Taos puso at puno ng pagsisi na ako po ay humihingi ng kapatawaran sa ating Diyos, sa ating bansa at mga kababayan, gayundin sa aking pamilya, mga kaibigan at lahat ng aking binigo. Nakagawa po ako ng pagkakamali at pinahintulutan ko po ang aking sarili na maging kasangkapan sa pagpapatupad ng isang masamang gawain,” he added.
The former DPWH official then proceeded to drop names in his sworn statement, laying out how money allegedly changed hands:
* Zaldy Co supposedly demanded a 25 percent cut on projects funneled through engineer Henry Alcantara, with regular cash deliveries allegedly made to him.
* Francis Escudero was said to have benefited indirectly through his campaign donor Maynard Ngu, to whom Bernardo claimed he turned over P160 million — representing 20 percent of about P800 million worth of projects.
* Bong Revilla allegedly sought a campaign “commitment” in 2024, leading Bernardo to personally deliver P150 million to his Cavite residence.
* Nancy Binay was tagged as receiving P37 million at her Quezon City residence, supposedly through one of her aides.
Escudero and Binay swiftly denied the accusations, dismissing Bernardo’s claims as an attempt to shift blame away from the real masterminds.
Now seeking admission as a state witness, Bernardo said he fears for the safety of his family following his explosive revelations. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, present at the hearing, urged careful handling of the disclosures.
“This matter has to be done because of the gravity of the situation and the fact that we may have to really work overtime… so that we can preserve the monies and other things that are involved in this discussion,” Remulla said./PN
