Manila, Philippines — A former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineer testified before the Sandiganbayan that he delivered about P800 million in cash to former lawmaker Zaldy Co as part of alleged kickback arrangements tied to government infrastructure projects.
Henry Alcantara, former DPWH Bulacan First District engineer and a state witness, made the testimony during a bail hearing in the malversation case involving former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. over an alleged ghost flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Alcantara said he first met Co in 2021 through then DPWH undersecretary Robert Bernardo, who allegedly facilitated project allocations under the national budget. He said Co sought control over infrastructure project placements in a district.
He told the court he submitted lists of proposed projects that were later selected for funding and implemented under the General Appropriations Act.
Alcantara testified that in 2022 he met Co at a hotel in Bonifacio Global City, where Co allegedly instructed his aide, Paul Estrada, to retrieve cash from a vehicle in a parking area.
He also said additional cash deliveries were made to Estrada at a residence in Pasig City.
Alcantara said kickbacks tied to infrastructure allocations totaled about 20 percent in 2022 and increased to about 25 percent in 2023, when project allocations reportedly reached P6 billion to P8 billion.
He said he delivered the largest single cash amount, about P800 million, in 2023.
He further testified that about 25 to 30 percent of funds for flood control projects were allocated as commissions and kickbacks, while contractors implemented about 70 percent of project funding.
Alcantara said he personally received between 1.5 percent and 2 percent of project costs.
He told the court the arrangement applied specifically to flood control projects, not all infrastructure programs.
Alcantara also testified that he delivered between P1.75 billion and P1.8 billion in total cash to former DPWH official Robert Bernardo in 10 to 15 separate transactions, with amounts ranging from P70 million to P250 million.
He said Bernardo was not involved in the Pandi flood control project and did not receive a share from it.
Alcantara said he had no direct evidence that Co received payments and said he only dealt with Bernardo in arranging transactions.
