Photo courtesy of Avito Dalan/ Philippine News Agency (PNA)
Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan filed his counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday in connection with the plunder complaint lodged against him.
Speaking to reporters, Bonoan confirmed that his legal team had formally submitted their response to the allegations during the preliminary proceedings.
The complaint also named several other respondents, including Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, former DPWH undersecretaries Maria Catalina Cabral and Roberto Bernardo, former regional director Gerard Opulencia, and former district engineer Henry Alcantara.
According to DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez, the plunder case did not center on a single project or location. Instead, it involved allegations of ill-gotten wealth exceeding P50 million, purportedly amassed through a series of transactions.
Amid the ongoing probe, Bonoan said he was planning to travel to the United States, although he noted that the exact date of his departure had yet to be finalized.
He added that he had already sought permission regarding the planned trip, which the Justice Department acknowledged.
An Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) had been issued against the former DPWH chief in relation to the case.
Records showed that Bonoan previously traveled to the United States via Taiwan in November 2025 to accompany his wife for a medical procedure and returned to the Philippines on January 18, 2026, while continuing to deny allegations that he received more than P2 billion in kickbacks from government projects.