Lacson: Bonoan linked to growing flood control ‘family business’

4 months ago

Here are today's headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
- Lacson links ex-DPWH chief Bonoan to ‘growing family business’ of flood projects
- Senators Estrada, Villanueva tagged in alleged flood control kickbacks in Bulacan
- Curlee Discaya says no direct transactions with Speaker Romualdez, Zaldy Co
- ICC postpones Duterte hearing, lawyer says ex-president ‘not fit to stand trial’
- Marcos halts flood control funds as probes tie lawmakers to kickback scandal

https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/september-9-2025/

Transcript

00:00Today on Rappler

00:07Senator Ping Lakson links former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan to a construction family business engaged in flood control projects.

00:22A former Bulacan Public Works official tags Senators Jingoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva as having received kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects.

00:31Top flood control contractor Curly Diskaya denies making direct transactions with Martin Romualdez and Zaldi Co.

00:37President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. halts funds for flood control projects in the 2026 national budget.

00:43And the International Criminal Court indefinitely postpones the pre-trial hearing of Rodrigo Duterte.

00:49Senator Ping Lakson links former Department of Public Works and Highway Secretary Manuel Bonoan to a growing family business that handles government flood control projects.

01:00In his privileged speech, Lakson says Bonoan is linked to MBB Global Properties Corporation, owned by the Maglanque family of Candaba, Pampanga.

01:08The same family also owns Global Crete Builders, which secured 2.195 billion pesos worth of flood control projects in Bulacan from 2018 to 2024.

01:19He says MBB is the acronym of three family names, Maglanque Bernardo Bonoan.

01:25Lakson adds Bonoan's daughter is listed as one of the company's owners.

01:28Coincidentally, these are known surnames of today's flood control saga.

01:32Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque, ang patriarch ng Maglanques of Global Concrete Builders,

01:39contractor ng multi-billion peso worth of flood control projects.

01:43DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, na kamakailan lamang ay nag-early retirement,

01:50matapos masangkot sa maanumalyang flood control at siyempre pa dating DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

02:00Maglanque Bernardo Bonoan, MBB.

02:06Sinamay si Maglanque, Sansen Bernardo at pati Magay Bonoan de la Cruz

02:12ay mga anak na mga nabanggit na opisyal ng gobyerno.

02:15Kaya naman pala ang palaging depensa ni dating DPWH Secretary Bonoan

02:21isolated case lang daw ang nakita ni Pangulong Bongmo Marcos sa ghost project sa Bulacan.

02:29Ayaw na siguro ni Bonoan na maungkat pa sa embisigasyon ang global creep.

02:34Lakson was named Senate President Pro Tempore replacing Sen. Jingoy Estrada.

02:38He also replaces Sen. Rodante Marcoleta as chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee.

02:43Lakson's new role was triggered by the ouster of Sen. Cheese Escudero as Senate President

02:48who was replaced by Sen. Tito Soto.

02:52Former Department of Public Works and Highways Bulacan Assistant District Engineer Bryce Erickson Hernandez

02:57tags Sen. Joel Villanueva and Jingoy Estrada in allegedly anomalous flood control projects.

03:04Hernandez makes this claim Tuesday, September 9, before the House of Representatives' Infrastructure Committee.

03:09Kung tatanungin niyo po ako kung sino o kanino kami naging bagman,

03:15tasagutin ko na po ngayon.

03:17Sabi ni Sen. Marco Leta kahapon,

03:21ligtas ka na.

03:23Hindi po ito totoo.

03:26Ni Sen. Jingoy Ejercito Estrada,

03:29Sen. Joel Villanueva,

03:32Yusek Robert Bernardo,

03:35at D. Alcantara.

03:35Hernandez alleges Estrada channeled 355 million pesos worth of projects to Hagonoy and Malolos in 2025

03:43with a 30% SOP or kickback.

03:46He adds,

03:47In 2023, Villanueva released 600 million pesos worth of projects in Balagtas, Bulacan,

03:53also with a 30% cut.

03:54In the same hearing, Hernandez and his assistant JP Mendoza showed photos and screenshots of conversations

04:00supposedly proving Villanueva's and Estrada's involvement in the public works kickback scandal.

04:06There were alleged SMS and Viber conversations between Villanueva and Alcantara.

04:11There were also photos where Estrada and Alcantara posed together in public events.

04:15And there were piles of cash supposedly for delivery to politicians.

04:19Meantime, Estrada and Villanueva deny Hernandez's claims.

04:23I am confident that I have not committed any illegal act.

04:28If Mr. Hernandez truly stands by his allegations,

04:33I challenge him right now to take a lie detector test with me.

04:39Uulitin ko at parang sirang plaka na po ako, Mr. President.

04:43Wala po ako kailanman naging flood control project.

04:46Tayo po ay more than willing mag-undergo at sumali sa anumang investigasyon

04:51sapagkat wala po tayong tinatago.

04:54Hernandez also says former district engineer Henry Alcantara acted as the chief implementer

04:59who directly coordinated with politicians.

05:02Alcantara supposedly took a 3% commission for himself

05:05and instructed engineers to tell contractors that an additional 2% finder's fee was needed

05:10if they wanted to secure more projects.

05:13But Alcantara denies Hernandez's allegations,

05:16saying he did not personally deliver funds to politicians.

05:21Top flood control contractor Curly Discaa claims he had no direct transaction

05:25with Speaker Martin Romualdez and Acobicol Representative Zaldi Ko.

05:29During the House hearing on flood control projects on Tuesday, September 9,

05:33he says their names were frequently mentioned by congressmen he transacts with.

05:37Batanga 2nd District Representative Jervil Luistro meantime informs Descaa

05:41about who is qualified to become a state witness under the rules of court.

05:45Number 5. The accused must appear as not the most guilty.

05:53Do you think with these requirements,

05:56the court will approve your application to become a state witness?

06:00Yes, po, your honor.

06:03Do you appear as not most guilty?

06:08Yes, po, your honor.

06:10If you are not admitted as state witness,

06:13definitely then you will be one of the co-accused.

06:18And with your admission that you made already

06:21in the Senate and before this committee,

06:25I think the offense of plunder is already established.

06:29The couple said at the Senate Monday,

06:32they wanted to become state witnesses

06:33as they revealed the list of congressmen and government engineers

06:36who take kickbacks from them.

06:38Meantime, passing Mayor Vico Soto flags supposed inconsistencies

06:42in the testimony of the Descaa couple before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

06:46He says it is not true that the Descaas only earn 2.3% from every project

06:50and that they sometimes accept government contracts

06:53despite knowing they will be at a loss.

06:54No sane business person would do that.

06:59We just apply simple logic.

07:00It is already clear that they are lying.

07:03Although alam ko medyo iba kasi yung logic na ginagamit nila sa universe po nila.

07:09President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says

07:11the government will not allocate new funds for flood control projects

07:14in a 2026 national budget.

07:16This comes as congressional investigations link many lawmakers

07:19including his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez,

07:22Senators Gingua Estrada, and Joel Villanueva

07:24to alleged kickbacks from public works contractors.

07:28In his BBM podcast, Marcos says

07:30the 350 billion pesos already set aside for 2025 was enough

07:34if only it were spent properly.

07:36We already are seeing

07:38na lahat ng flood control project

07:41na dapat nilalagay sa 2026 na budget

07:44hindi na siguro kailangan.

07:46So there will be no budget for 2026 for flood control

07:51dahil meron naman 350 billion for 2025

07:54na hindi pa na uubos talaga.

07:56He also assures the public that ongoing projects will continue

07:59and contractors found to have delivered defective work

08:01must fix it at their own expense.

08:03He adds,

08:05Restoring integrity and infrastructure spending

08:07by stopping the misuse of taxpayers' money

08:09was a priority.

08:12The International Criminal Court or ICC

08:15indefinitely postpones the pretrial hearing

08:17of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

08:19initially scheduled for September 23.

08:22In a motion, Duterte's lawyer,

08:24Nicholas Kaufman asked the court to stop the proceedings

08:26claiming Duterte is not fit to stand trial.

08:30This new decision only postpones

08:31the confirmation of charges hearing

08:33but did not adjourn or stop the proceedings.

08:36No new date has been set

08:37but the chamber says it would be a

08:39quote,

08:39limited postponement

08:40to allow sufficient time

08:41to adjudicate the adjournment request.

08:44No further details were given

08:45about Duterte's condition.

08:47His defense team had earlier requested

08:48that Duterte be granted temporary freedom

08:50on the grounds that he was not capable

08:52of hiding from the law.

08:53And that's today's wrap.

08:55I'm JC Gutinga.

08:58Click the link below for the full story.

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Lacson: Bonoan linked to growing flood control ‘family business’ | The wRap

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