Ex-DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan granted partial hospital arrest
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division is partially allowing former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan to be placed under hospital arrest over his alleged involvement in the flood control corruption.
GMA News reported on Friday, June 5, that Bonoan will be detained and confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame.
Per The Philippine STAR, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Bonoan underwent two medical procedures this week to treat his heart.
“A formal medical diagnosis will be forwarded to the Sandiganbayan. We will receive the full report Monday,” Remulla said.
On June 1, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Bonoan, along with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former DPWH officials Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales in connection with their alleged links to the flood control scandal. All five are now under government custody.
Soon after his surrender to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on June 1, Bonoan was rushed to the PNP General Hospital for hypertension, according to Remulla. He added Bonoan would be under "full security" at the hospital and would be brought to the Sandiganbayan for his arraignment once the doctor gave him the go-signal.
On the day of his arraignment on June 4, however, Bonoan was still in the hospital and unable to attend the proceedings. From the PNP General Hospital, he was transferred to a private hospital.
The police provided Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg, who is also the chairperson of the anti-graft court's Second Division, a list of Bonoan's illnesses. It mentioned diabetes, hypertension, acute coronary syndrome, chronic kidney disease, prostate cancer, and pain in the spine.
"Bakit ang dami na?" Econg asked, who asked the PNP to provide the court with a medical update on Bonoan.
Bonoan, who was DPWH chief when the flood control scandal erupted in 2025, is facing graft and plunder charges. While he was able to post a P90,000 bail for his graft case along with co-accused Estrada, plunder is a non-bailable offense.
The former DPWH chief stepped down from his post in August 2025 as the Marcos administration initiated a widespread investigation into the agency's flood control projects. In November 2025, former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed Bonoan received P2.25 billion in kickbacks. Bonoan has denied the allegations.
