Former DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan. Photo courtesy of PNA/Avito Dalan.
Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan told the Sandiganbayan that all senators in the previous Congress availed of at least Php 500 million each from a so-called leadership fund under the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) 2025 budget.
Bonoan made the disclosure while testifying for the prosecution in the malversation case against former Sen. Bong Revilla over an alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, worth Php 92.8 million.
He said the fund was intended for senators’ priority projects, with a baseline allocation of at least Php 500 million per senator. Heads of major committees, including the Senate public works panel, could receive at least Php 1 billion.
“For fiscal year 2025, according to records, all senators availed of the leadership fund,” Bonoan told the court.
Bonoan said around Php 24 billion was set aside for the Senate under the arrangement. He added that he had discussed the fund’s parameters with then-Senate President Migz Zubiri.
Zubiri denied handling any list of senators’ project requests and said proposed amendments were coursed through the Senate finance committee. He maintained that institutional amendments were part of the budget process as long as projects were properly implemented and free from corruption.
Bonoan also said senators generally did not personally approach him for projects. Requests were usually coursed through their staff or DPWH officials, including former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.
He testified that Bernardo handled project lists linked to Revilla, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Bong Go and Sen. Robin Padilla. Go has denied submitting any list through Bernardo, while the disclosure has renewed scrutiny of the leadership fund and calls for its abolition.