DOJ recommends plunder raps vs Jinggoy, Bonoan

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) could face plunder, graft and corruption and direct bribery cases due to their role in the government flood control scandal, the Office of the Ombudsman announced yesterday.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recommended filing charges of plunder, violations of Sections 3 (b) and (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery and receiving gifts of public officers and corruption of public officials, both under the Revised Penal Code, against Estrada, former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan, Bong Dinglasan, DPWH North Manila assistant district engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Arturo Gonzales Jr. and unnamed others, the ombudsman said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the DOJ recommended that similar charges against the late former DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral be dropped after she died in December 2025.

Also, former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, DPWH Metro Manila regional director Gerard Opulencia and DPWH Bulacan First District engineer Henry Alcantara should be excluded from the charges since they were admitted to the witness protection program, according to the agency.

The recommendations were from the resolution formulated by the DOJ from its “comprehensive preliminary investigation initiated by a criminal complaint lodged by the National Bureau of Investigation-Department of Justice Public Works and Bid-Rigging Task Force,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said.

Meanwhile, Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos yesterday reminded leaders who betrayed the people’s trust that, later in life, they would face God – the ultimate judge – and receive His justice. — Evelyn Macairan