Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified before the Sandiganbayan on Thursday, Oct. 29, that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez never requested infrastructure projects or negotiated kickbacks with him.
Bernardo confirmed that none of his six affidavits linked Romualdez to project transactions or commission arrangements, adding that his only mention of the former Speaker involved a social gathering.
He admitted receiving financial benefits from infrastructure projects and said commission rates among project proponents ranged from 10 to 25 percent, sometimes reaching 30 percent.
Bernardo also testified that questionable infrastructure arrangements had existed since at least 2002 and that the DPWH handled project bidding, while the Department of Budget and Management controlled expenditure ceilings and fund releases.
He said concerns over alleged irregularities, including ghost infrastructure projects in Bulacan, led him to cooperate with investigators and become a state witness.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 30, 2026
FORMER DPWH OFFICIAL DENIES ROMUALDEZ SOUGHT PROJECTS, KICKBACKS
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