Ex-DPWH Usec. Bernardo tags Escudero, Binay, Revilla, others in alleged infrastructure kickbacks
Former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo on Thursday, Sept. 25, tagged ousted Senate president Chiz Escudero and other new names as among those who allegedly received kickbacks from flood control projects.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Bernardo accused Escudero, former senators Nancy Binay and Bong Revilla, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and Department of Education Usec. Trygve Olaivar of being involved in the scheme. He also pinned the blame on former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara, who previously said that he's the "boss" behind the kickbacks.
In his affidavit, Bernardo said he has been a longtime friend of Maynard Ngu, a campaign donor of Escudero, who gave him a list of projects.
In a supplemental affidavit, the ex-DPWH official said that he received a list of projects from the senator's brother-in-law, including a street light project in Sorsogon that Escudero mentioned to him during former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan's confirmation hearing in 2022.
Ngu asked Bernardo to meet with Escudero, who told him, "Alam ko naman galawan niyo sa DPWH. Sabihin mo kay Sec., magbaba sa'kin.”
"After the inclusion of projects in the [General Appropriations Act], I delivered 20% of approximately P800 million, or about P160 million, to Maynard Ngu, which was meant for Sen. Escudero,” Bernardo said, later adding that this happened in the first quarter of 2025.
He also claimed to have personally made cash deliveries to Ngu's office in Manila.
When they met again in the first quarter of 2025, Bernardo said Escudero approached him, shook his hand, and said "thank you."
As for Binay, Bernardo claimed that he delivered around P37 million to her Quezon City residence after Alcantara turned over the money to him.
"Sometime in the year 2024, Carline Villa, a staff and trusted confidant of Sen. Binay, called me and asked for a commitment which was set at 15% of the total amount of projects," he said.
Bernardo alleged that Olaivar, who once worked for former senators Revilla and now-DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara, met him for a meeting to discuss unprogrammed allocations supposedly for the office of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. The DepEd undersecretary also allegedly asked for kickbacks in projects worth P2.85 billion. He claimed that Alcantara would collect the money from him, if not him delivering the money himself to Olaivar's Makati residence and other places.
Olaivar and Bersamin have denied the accusations. "In the first place, the OES (Office of the Executive Secretary) has no involvement in any way with budgetary allocations relevant to the DPWH," Bersamin said in a statement.
"In the second place, the OES has no dealings whatsoever with either Undersecretary Bernardo or DepEd Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar," he added.
Olaivar has also taken a voluntary leave of absence from his post and said he is ready to cooperate with any proceedings.
As for Revilla, Bernardo said in 2024 he had asked for a 25% share in the projects as part of his Senate reelection bid. Alcantara allegedly collected the money worth P125 million and turned it over to Bernardo, who then delivered the cash to Revilla's house in Cavite.
Bernardo claimed that Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, the former chair of the appropriations committee, had asked for a 25% commission from Alcantara, and 2% of that commission would be split between himself and Alcantara.
Escudero, Binay deny involvement
Escudero has denied involvement in the allegations made by Bernardo. "By his own admission, he never had any contact with me directly regarding this matter. I will prove that he is lying about my alleged involvement."
"It seems like there is a well-orchestrated plan to attack the Senate and its members to destroy and discredit the institution and to divert the public’s attention from the real perpetrators," he said in a statement.
Escudero also questioned the whereabouts of Co and why former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was not mentioned. "Kung babasehan natin ang testimonya ni Usec. Bernardo, lahat sila ay walang kasalanan o kinalaman dito. Hindi naman yatà ito kapani-paniwala."
The senator added that he's eyeing legal action against Bernardo over his testimony.
Meanwhile, Binay, the current mayor of Makati, also denied links to anomalous flood control projects.
"Nagugulat at nalulungkot ako na dinadamay ako sa mga anomalya ng DPWH. Walang katotohanan ang mga bintang sa akin," she said in a Facebook post.
"Nakakagulat na nagagamit tayo para ipanglihis sa mga tunay na kailangan panagutin sa issue na ito," the mayor added.
Revilla and Co have previously denied involvement in the DPWH kickback schemes when they were tagged by Alcantara.
Bernardo admits to wrongdoing
Bernardo said the corruption in DPWH is "systemic" and asked for protection for himself and his family amid his revelations.
"Given the complexities of the transactions and personalities involved, I humbly reserve the right to submit a supplementary affidavit, if warranted, in the premises," he said. "I attest to the truth of the foregoing statements based on personal knowledge and authentic records."
Earlier, Bernardo admitted that he made a mistake in allowing the schemes to happen.
"Pinahintulutan ko ang aking sarili na maging kasangkapan sa pagpapatupad ng isang masamang gawain," he said. "Handa po akong gawin ang nararapat upang maiwasto ang aking kamalian at iwasan na ito'y mangyari muli."
On Sept. 23, Alcantara claimed Bernardo ordered the release of hundreds of millions of pesos in funds for projects, of which 25% go to the likes of senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva.
Estrada and Villanueva were first dragged into the flood control scandal by assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, saying on Sept. 9, “Si Sen. Jinggoy po ay nagbaba ng P355 million ngayong 2025 sa mga ilang projects sa Bulacan. Ang sabi po ng boss ko dito ay 30% ang commitment dito."
Estrada and Villanueva have denied the accusations.
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Editor's Note: This article has been edited to include Bernardo's supplemental affidavit.
