Philippines flood scam: Sobpoenas issued to Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla and ex-DPWH chief Bonoan

Manila: The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) issued subpoenas to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Manny Bonoan, and detained former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. amid an ongoing probe into alleged corruption in flood control projects.

The subpoenas, served on Monday (January 27, 2026), require the individuals to appear for preliminary investigations on February 2 and 12. 

The move stems from plunder complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), accusing them of misusing public funds allocated for flood mitigation initiatives.

The scandal involves claims of kickbacks and anomalous contracts in flood control projects, where officials allegedly conspired with contractors to divert funds. 

Whistleblower Henry Alcantara, a former contractor, implicated Estrada and Revilla, stating he delivered commissions from these projects to their representatives. 

Bonoan, who served as DPWH secretary, is named as a co-respondent with Estrada in one case. 

All three have denied the allegations, with Revilla currently detained at Quezon City Jail on a separate non-bailable malversation charge linked to a flood project in Pandi, Bulacan. 

Charges include:

This is not the first corruption controversy for Estrada and Revilla. 

Both were central figures in the 2013 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) pork barrel scam, a  ₱10-billion scheme masterminded by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles. 

Lawmakers funnelled PDAF into bogus non-governmental organisations, pocketing kickbacks. 

Revilla was accused of amassing  ₱224.5 million, while Estrada allegedly took  ₱183 million. They faced plunder and graft charges, leading to their 2014 arrests. 

Revilla was acquitted of plunder in 2018 but had graft cases dismissed later. 

Estrada was acquitted of plunder in 2024 but convicted of bribery, receiving a sentence of 8-9 years. 

The PDAF scandal exposed systemic corruption in discretionary funds, prompting reforms like the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling declaring PDAF “unconstitutional”.

The flood control probe highlights persistent issues in Philippine infrastructure funding, especially amid frequent typhoons and flooding. 

With billions allocated annually to DPWH projects, critics argue weak oversight enables graft. 

As investigations proceed, this could impact political alliances and public trust in governance, echoing the PDAF fallout that reshaped congressional priorities.