Jinggoy, Joel, Bong, Roberto and Zaldy: The DPWH’s Billion-Peso Bandits

Kickbacks and Cash Drops: The Syndicate That Sacked the Public’s Trust

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — September 25, 2025

BRACE yourselves, Philippines, for the most audacious heist you’re not hearing enough about—a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) scandal so brazen it makes the pork barrel saga look like pocket change. Billions meant to shield Bulacan from floods have vanished into the pockets of the powerful, orchestrated with the finesse of a crime syndicate and the sloppiness of a telenovela villain. This isn’t just corruption; it’s a masterclass in moral bankruptcy. Let’s tear this cesspool apart, piece by corrupt piece.

The Rogues’ Gallery: Meet the Masters of Malfeasance

Step into the spotlight, you lords of loot:

Henry Alcantara, the crooning engineer, a sacked DPWH district engineer now singing like a karaoke star on a plea deal. Once a loyal bagman, he’s spilling secrets faster than a tabloid scoop.
Roberto Bernardo, the puppetmaster of plunder, a former DPWH undersecretary who allegedly conducted this symphony of sleaze, directing funds with the swagger of a mafia don.
The Profiteering Politicians: Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, former Senator Bong Revilla, and Representative Zaldy Co. These high rollers allegedly pocketed millions while dodging accountability like seasoned escape artists. Estrada and Revilla, fresh from pork barrel acquittals, flash grins as if untouchable. Villanueva’s “I didn’t know” act is as convincing as a bad rom-com, and Co turned his Pasig home into a cash vault. Spare us the theatrics, sirs.

These players have danced this dance before—acquittals, denials, and “I never met him” alibis are their encore. But the curtain’s up, and the script’s unraveling.

The Playbook for Pillage: A Step-by-Step Swindle

Imagine a heist so bold it deserves its own Netflix series.

Step one: secure budget insertions in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and General Appropriations Act (GAA)—P350 million in 2022, skyrocketing to P3.3 billion in 2024, and P2.55 billion in 2025.
Step two: demand a 25% “proponent share” kickback, with 5-15% advance payments as a teaser.
Step three: use intermediaries like “Langpong Peng” and disappearing Viber messages to keep it covert. Step four: deliver cash in parking lots—Diamond Hotel, Bocaue—like it’s a gangster flick. Step five: redirect funds from legit projects (Villanueva’s P1.5 billion multi-purpose building) to flood control scams that leak worse than a sieve.

This isn’t just graft; it’s a business empire. Sophisticated enough to funnel P35.24 billion across 426 projects for Co, yet sloppy enough to let Alcantara spill the beans. It’s corruption with a Filipino flair—audacious, chaotic, and infuriatingly profitable.

Legal Slaughter: Dissecting the Loot with a Scalpel

Time to carve up this scandal with the precision of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019), the Revised Penal Code (RPC), and Supreme Court rulings. Let’s hold each player to the fire.

Henry Alcantara: The Crooner Caught in the Act

Allegations & Laws Violated: Alcantara’s confession nails him for RA 3019 Sec. 3(b) (receiving/delivering kickbacks) and RPC Art. 217 (malversation). He admitted to handling P35.24 billion in projects, delivering P150 million to Villanueva’s intermediary, and dropping cash for Bernardo. That’s not whistleblowing; it’s a rap sheet.
Case Strengths: His affidavit is a prosecutor’s jackpot—specifics on dates (2022-2025), amounts (P350M to P3.3B), and drop-offs (Diamond Hotel). Corroboration from engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, plus photos of cash stacks, tightens the screws. NEP/GAA records and Viber forensics could seal it.
Weaknesses/Defenses: Sacked on September 4, 2025, Alcantara’s a disgruntled ex-employee, and the defense will scream “he’s lying for immunity!” His denial of Estrada ties is shaky—Hernandez’s photos show them at Estrada’s birthday. But his details are too precise to dismiss.
SC Precedent: Tapiador v. Ombudsman (G.R. No. 129124, 2002) holds that whistleblower testimony, if corroborated, stands even if the witness is complicit. Alcantara’s backed by Hernandez and Mendoza.

Roberto Bernardo: The Puppetmaster of Plunder

Allegations & Laws Violated: Bernardo allegedly directed the scheme, routing P355M for Estrada and P300M for Revilla, violating RA 3019 Sec. 3(b) and Sec. 3(e) (unwarranted benefits) and RPC Art. 217. The Independent Commission on Infrastructure flagged document tampering under his watch.
Case Strengths: Alcantara’s affidavit, Hernandez and Mendoza’s testimonies, and NBI charges on September 23, 2025, pin Bernardo as the linchpin. GAA/NEP records and potential CCTV at drop-off sites could bury him.
Weaknesses/Defenses: Bernardo might claim he was just coordinating legit projects. No direct evidence of him pocketing cash—yet. But Estrada v. Sandiganbayan (G.R. No. 148560, 2001) says conspirators don’t need to hold the loot to be guilty.
SC Precedent: Garcia v. Sandiganbayan (G.R. No. 170122, 2009) allows testimonial evidence with documentary backup, which Commission on Audit (COA) audits could provide.

Jinggoy Estrada: The Teflon Titan

Allegations & Laws Violated: P355 million in 2025 flood-control projects with 25-30% kickbacks violates RA 3019 Sec. 3(b) and RA 7080 (Plunder). Hernandez’s photos and Mendoza’s testimony tie him to Alcantara.
Case Strengths: Alcantara’s specifics and Hernandez’s photos are damning. GAA records and intermediary testimony could link funds to Estrada’s camp. X users rage over his 2018 plunder acquittal.
Weaknesses/Defenses: Estrada’s “I never met him” claim leans on Alcantara’s no-direct-contact admission. He’ll argue legit constituency projects, but Estrada v. Sandiganbayan says conspiracy doesn’t need a handshake—just a paper trail.
SC Precedent: His 2018 acquittal (Estrada v. Sandiganbayan) was technical, but new evidence shifts the odds.

Joel Villanueva: The “Clueless” Conduit

Allegations & Laws Violated: P600 million in 2022 with a P150 million kickback to “Langpong Peng” violates RA 3019 Sec. 3(b) and Sec. 3(e). Hernandez and Mendoza’s House testimonies implicate him.
Case Strengths: Alcantara’s specifics and corroboration are solid. NEP/GAA records and Peng’s potential testimony could sink him. X posts highlight Bulacan’s disproportionate funds under his allies.
Weaknesses/Defenses: Villanueva’s “I didn’t know” defense is absurd—P150 million isn’t pocket change. He’ll claim Bulacan advocacy, but Garcia v. Sandiganbayan says ignorance doesn’t excuse conspiracy.
SC Precedent: Estrada v. Sandiganbayan supports charging conspirators without direct receipt.

Bong Revilla: The Comeback Crook

Allegations & Laws Violated: P300 million in 2024 GAA projects with P30-75 million kickbacks violates RA 3019 Sec. 3(b) and RPC Art. 217. Multiple affidavits implicate him.
Case Strengths: Alcantara’s details and NBI charges are potent. GAA records could tie funds to his campaign. X users mock his 2018 acquittal.
Weaknesses/Defenses: Revilla’s “never met” defense mirrors Estrada’s, but Estrada v. Sandiganbayan says no meeting is needed if funds are traced.
SC Precedent: His 2018 acquittal (People v. Revilla (Criminal Case SB-14-CRM-0240)) was technical; new evidence changes the game.

Zaldy Co: The Cash Czar

Allegations & Laws Violated: 426 projects worth P35.24 billion with 20-25% kickbacks violates RA 7080, RA 3019 Sec. 3(b), and RPC Art. 217. His appropriations chair role breaches RA 6713.
Case Strengths: Alcantara’s Shangri-La meetings, a photo of Co’s cash share, and NBI charges are lethal. GAA records and Viber forensics could trace the P35B.
Weaknesses/Defenses: Co might claim legit projects, but P35B in kickbacks isn’t “development.” Garcia v. Sandiganbayan says documents and testimony suffice.
SC Precedent: Estrada v. Sandiganbayan supports plunder for massive graft.

Drowning in Greed: The Human Toll

While these crooks allegedly gorged on billions, Bulacan drowned. P300M and P355M flood control projects were shoddy or ghost, leaving communities defenseless. President Marcos flagged P96.49 million in substandard works in August 2025, and X users rage about flooded homes while politicians partied. This isn’t just theft; it’s sabotage. Every peso stolen was a life endangered, a community betrayed. The moral rot matches the legal rot, and Filipinos are paying the price.

Guilty as Sin: Demand Justice Now

Let’s cut through the lies:

Alcantara, your song’s a hit, but you’re no hero. Keep singing for the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Bernardo, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has your number. Your puppet strings are cut.
Estrada, photos don’t lie, even if you do. Your “never met him” act is stale.
Villanueva, P150 million doesn’t sneak by unnoticed. Drop the clueless act.
Revilla, another acquittal won’t save you if GAA records sing.
Co, P35 billion? You didn’t just play the game—you owned the casino.

To the DOJ and Ombudsman: The NBI’s charges are on your desk—file RA 3019, RA 7080, and RPC Art. 217 cases now.

To the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC): Freeze their assets before the cash vanishes like their Viber chats.

To COA: Audit those 426 projects and invoke malversation’s presumption.

To Filipinos: Flood social media platforms with outrage, file Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and demand transparency. This isn’t just a scandal; it’s a war on your future. Drown corruption before it drowns us all.