MANILA – Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were dragged into fresh corruption allegations after a former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official claimed they pocketed massive kickbacks from flood control projects in Bulacan.
Testifying before the House Committee on Infrastructure, ex-DPWH assistant district engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez alleged that both senators, along with DPWH officials, received a “30 percent SOP” cut from multimillion-peso projects.
“Si Sen. Jinggoy po ay nagbaba ng P355 million at ang kanyang SOP po rito ay 30%. Mga driver namin sa District Engineer Bulacan ang nag-deliver. Nung 2023 naman naglabas ng P600 million si Senator Villanueva. Ang SOP nito ay 30% rin,” Hernandez said, citing his affidavit.
Also implicated were former DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara and Undersecretary Robert Bernardo. Alcantara, who attended the hearing, denied the accusations.
On Monday, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cited Hernandez in contempt during its separate inquiry after he repeatedly denied involvement in casino operations.
Estrada swiftly shot back at the allegations, challenging Hernandez to a public lie detector test.
“I categorically and vehemently deny the claims made by Brice Hernandez. I challenge him. LET US TAKE A LIE DETECTOR TEST before the public para malaman ng lahat kung sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo,” Estrada declared. “Talk is cheap — handa akong patunayan na pawang mga kasinungalingan ang sinasabi niya tungkol sa akin.”
Villanueva, meanwhile, has yet to comment./PN
