MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas for Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, detained former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and other individuals in connection with plunder cases involving anomalous flood control projects.
Estrada, Bonoan, and Revilla Jr. are required to appear for preliminary investigations on February 2 and February 12, DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez said. Estrada and Bonoan are co-respondents in one of three pending plunder cases, while Revilla Jr. and former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, among others, are respondents in two separate cases. The case against Co is already at the preliminary investigation stage.
Other individuals named in the plunder complaint against Estrada include former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Gerard Opulencia, and former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara. Bernardo, Opulencia, Alcantara, and contractor Sally Santos have been admitted to the DOJ Witness Protection Program (WPP).
Estrada and Bonoan also face separate cases for alleged violations of the Anti-Graft Law (Republic Act 3019), direct bribery, receiving gifts by public officers, and corruption of public officials. The complaints were filed by the National Bureau of Investigation-DOJ Public Works and Bid-Rigging Task Force.