Former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan will remain as Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s co-accused in a graft case linked to the flood control controversy after the Sandiganbayan Second Division upheld its decision to keep him in the case.
Bonoan is accused of conspiring with Estrada to include flood control projects in Bulacan in the 2025 national budget, with Estrada allegedly receiving P213.7 million in kickbacks.
Meanwhile, former Bulacan district engineer Brice Hernandez and six others pleaded not guilty to graft charges involving an alleged P77-million ghost flood control project in Balagtas, Bulacan.
The project was declared fully completed in May 2025 despite reportedly not existing, according to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Separately, Tarlac Rep. Noel Rivera was suspended for 90 days over alleged conflicts of interest involving infrastructure projects awarded to a construction firm in which he allegedly held a controlling stake.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 1, 2026
