Billions lost? Kickbacks linked to Villanueva, Estrada, Revilla, Co — Alcantara
MANILA, Philippines — Sacked Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer Henry Alcantara has tagged Sens. Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, former senator Bong Revilla, Rep. Zaldy Co, and former House lawmaker Mitch Cajayon in the Bulacan kickback schemes.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Alcantara, once adamant that he knew nothing about kickback schemes in Bulacan, finally implicated several names.
He tagged DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo as one acting as a middleman between local Bulacan officials and national politicians.
In his opening remarks, Alcantara seemingly confirmed former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez’s earlier accusations against Villanueva and Estrada.
In 2022, Villanueva asked for a multi-purpose building costing P1.5 billion but was only given P600 million from flood control funds in the unprogrammed funds.
This statement from Alcantara seemingly vindicated sacked DPWH engineer Jaypee Mendoza, whose statements matched his.
However, Alcantara said that Villanueva did not know that it came from flood control.
Alcantara admitted to bringing P150 million to a resthouse in Bulacan for one of Villanueva’s staff, a person only known by “Peng.”
In 2024, Bernardo asked if there was anyone else he wanted to give to. Alcantara obliged, saying that he had his staff create a list of projects amounting to P355 million for Estrada.
The proponent, allegedly Estrada, would receive 25% of the kickbacks.
Alcantara reiterated that he had no direct contact with either Villanueva or Estrada over the kickback schemes.
But the revelations did not end there.
“Ayon kay Usec. Bernardo, ang GAA (General Appropriations Act) insertions nung 2024 na nagkakahalaga ng P300 million, para kay, sabi niya po sa akin, ay para kay Senator Bong Revilla,” Alcantara said.
(According to Usec. Bernardo, the GAA (General Appropriations Act) insertions in 2024 amounting to P300 million were, he told me, for Senator Bong Revilla.)
From 2022 to 2025, Co allegedly inserted funding for projects in Bulacan First worth around P35 billion, which was included in both the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the GAA.
- 2022: P519 million (Bicam)
- 2023: P5 billion (NEP), P3.250 billion (Bicam), P3.8 billion (Unprogrammed Allocations); Total of P12 billion
- 2024: P5.8 billion (NEP), P5.084 billion (Bicam), P3.306 billion (Unprogrammed Allocations); Total of P14.19 billion
- 2025: Total of P7.3 billion
Co allegedly asked for 20% in kickbacks, Alcantara said. Addressing the photo of him with stacks of money in the DPWH office, Alcantara admitted that it was Co’s share in 2022. The cash amounted to P519 million.
Alcantara also confirmed former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez’s statement that Cajayon was involved in the kickback scheme, where she allegedly got a 10% cut.
Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Gonzales Lipana is also allegedly involved, receiving kickbacks amounting to P1.4 billion. However, Alcantara said he did not know how he got the money. Lipana is the commissioner whose wife is a contractor.
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