MANILA — Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan has implicated Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in alleged requests for P1 billion worth of infrastructure projects under the 2025 national budget, but admitted in court that the senator neither personally approached him for the additional funding nor signed the list of proposed projects.
Testifying Tuesday before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division during Estrada’s bail hearing in a P573-million plunder case, Bonoan said the requests were coursed through former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.
Bonoan disclosed that the proposed allocation initially amounted to P500 million before Bernardo sought another P500 million, supposedly because Estrada was then serving as Senate President Pro Tempore.
“It (list of requests of Estrada for projects) was submitted to me by Usec Bernardo. What was recommended by Usec [Catalina] Cabral is initially P500 million to be included in the NEP,” Bonoan said during cross-examination by Estrada’s lawyer, Laurence Arroyo.
The National Expenditure Program (NEP) is the proposed national government spending plan prepared by the Department of Budget and Management and submitted to Congress for deliberation.
According to Bonoan, Bernardo subsequently pushed for an additional allocation, invoking Estrada’s leadership position in the Senate.
“After the inclusion of P500 million, Usec. Bernardo requested additional P500 million since Senator Estrada is already Senate President Pro Tempore,” Bonoan testified.
“The good senator is aware [of such request]. They are still asking for additional P500 million for the availment of the [Senate] leadership fund,” he added.
However, under questioning by the defense, Bonoan conceded that he had no direct communication with Estrada regarding the additional P500-million request.
“He (Estrada) did not personally request [additional amount] to me. This was brought by Usec Bernardo,” Bonoan said.
He further acknowledged that Estrada’s signature was absent from the list of proposed infrastructure projects, underscoring that his knowledge of the senator’s supposed involvement came from Bernardo rather than from any personal request by Estrada.
The admission highlighted a key distinction in Bonoan’s testimony: while he linked the P1-billion project requests to Estrada, he did not establish through personal dealings that the senator directly sought the additional allocation.
Bonoan also revealed that the proposed funding was associated with the so-called Senate leadership fund, an arrangement that he said operated without formally established guidelines.
“The Senate leadership fund is an adhoc item. There are no formal written guidelines,” he said.
The testimony placed renewed scrutiny on how infrastructure projects were proposed for inclusion in the national budget, particularly requests attributed to influential lawmakers through DPWH officials.
It also raised questions about the documentation and accountability mechanisms governing allocations associated with congressional leadership.
The Sandiganbayan is hearing Estrada’s petition for bail in connection with the P573-million plunder case. Bonoan’s testimony forms part of the proceedings and does not, by itself, establish the senator’s criminal liability./PN
