The Department of Justice issued subpoenas to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and former Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. in connection with a massive corruption investigation involving ghost flood control projects.
The high-profile officials have been directed to appear before a DOJ panel for preliminary investigation hearings scheduled for February 2 and 12.
The subpoenas are part of a broadening probe into the alleged P100-billion flood control mess, a scandal involving billions in public funds purportedly funneled into non-existent or substandard infrastructure projects.
DOJ Spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez confirmed that Estrada and Bonoan are co-respondents in one of three plunder cases currently pending before the department.
In addition to plunder, the two face charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery, and corruption of public officers.
A separate plunder complaint involves Revilla, who recently surrendered to authorities following a Sandiganbayan arrest warrant for related charges.
A third case targets former Ako Bicol Representative Elizaldy Co, who remains at large and has been declared a fugitive by the courts.
The complaints were filed by a joint task force comprising the National Bureau of Investigation and the DOJ Public Works and Bid-Rigging Task Force.
The investigation has gained significant momentum following the admission of several key figures into the Witness Protection Program.
These include former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara, and contractor Sally Santos.
Bernardo previously testified that he personally delivered hundreds of millions of pesos in kickbacks to various officials in exchange for the endorsement of flood control contracts.
The flood control mess first surfaced following reports that a small group of 15 contractors had cornered nearly 20 percent of the government’s P545-billion flood mitigation budget between 2022 and 2025.
The DOJ stated that the upcoming hearings in February will focus on determining whether there is sufficient evidence to file formal criminal charges in court.
While Senator Joel Villanueva and other lawmakers have also been linked to the probe, they have consistently denied any involvement and have begun filing their own counter-affidavits.
The DOJ maintains that the investigation will remain relentless regardless of the status or position of those involved.