Allegations of kickbacks within Congress and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) continue to widen, as former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara dropped fresh names and figures in what could be one of the country’s most explosive corruption scandals in years.
Alcantara claimed that ex-senator Bong Revilla was among those who allegedly benefited from a ₱500-million budget insertion for flood control projects along the Angat River in Bulacan. According to him, he learned of Revilla’s supposed share through former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who allegedly oversaw the flow of funds.
But Revilla was not the only one mentioned. Alcantara also implicated Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, as well as House Representatives Zaldy Co and Mitch Cajayon, in similar schemes.
The most staggering figure came with Alcantara’s allegation against Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co. He claimed Co secured around ₱35.24 billion worth of project insertions since 2022. In fact, Alcantara admitted that a now-viral photo of cash stacked inside his office represented Co’s 20 percent “cut” from the deals in 2022.
Sen. Joel Villanueva was likewise dragged into the controversy, with Alcantara asserting that he had handed over ₱600 million in supposed “assistance” to the senator. He clarified, however, that Villanueva may not have known the money’s true source, as the senator had only requested funding for multipurpose buildings.
“Wala po akong direct na komunikasyon kay Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Hindi ko po nakakaharap si Sen. Jinggoy,” Alcantara said, distancing himself from Estrada but affirming that the scheme existed. On Villanueva, he recounted: “Kay Sen. Joel Villanueva po, ang totoo po nun multi-purpose building ang request talaga. Dinala ko po sa tauhan lang po ni Sen. Joel, somewhere in Bocaue po. Sabi ko po, ‘Baka pupuwede pakibigay niyo na lang ito, tulong ko ito sa future kung ano ang plano niya.’ Pero hindi niya alam na sa flood control ko kinuha.”
The allegations strike at the heart of congressional “pork” and infrastructure insertions, reviving longstanding concerns about how billions of pesos in public funds are allegedly siphoned through budget padding and commissions. If proven true, these revelations could reshape ongoing investigations into DPWH corruption, implicating not only sitting lawmakers but also veteran political names with long histories of facing graft accusations.
What makes Alcantara’s testimony particularly explosive is the level of detail—amounts, locations, and specific names—that suggests a systemic flow of money between public works projects and political beneficiaries. Whether these claims will stand in court or collapse under scrutiny remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the scandal is far from over.