Mark Villar, Bonoan, Cabral operated kickback system in DPWH – witness

MANILA, Philippines – After they led the Division of Public Works and Highways, Mark Villar and Manuel Bonoan allegedly ran the kickback system on the company, with then-undersecretary Cathy Cabral as the primary operator of the scheme, a former DPWH official claimed earlier than a Senate panel probing corruption in authorities infrastructure tasks on Friday, November 14.

“As a basic rule and with little or no exceptions, it’s Usec Maria Catalina Cabral, with the imprimatur of Secretary Mark Villar, and later Sec Manny Bonoan, who had management on the DPWH stage to take away, embrace, add, deduct, or modify insertions within the NEP for infrastructure and people pertaining to the DPWH,” Roberto Bernardo mentioned as he dropped his new bombshell testimony on the much-awaited resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearings on the flood management mess.

Bernardo, a former DPWH undersecretary, is below the Division of Justice’s Witness Safety Program (WPP) however this doesn’t robotically imply being absolved from legal responsibility. It means bodily safety for the witness, and continued cooperation for potential preparations later.

Villar promoted Bernardo to undersecretary in 2017, however Bernardo mentioned he was sidelined more often than not as he was perceived as being towards then-president Rodrigo Duterte. On the time, Bernardo mentioned Cabral would clear all tasks, performing on behalf of Villar.

Bernardo claimed they collected 10% from these tasks, half allegedly given to Villar’s cousin, Carlo Aguilar, “presumably for Sec Mark Villar,” whereas the remainder was break up between him and Cabral. Carlo Aguilar co-owns together with his household Motiontrade, a DPWH contractor.

“I personally delivered or induced to be delivered money to Usec Cabral at her home and different locations,” mentioned Bernardo.

Larger kickback below Bonoan

Bernardo had extra direct data of Bonoan’s alleged involvement. The previous undersecretary teared up when he detailed Bonoan’s position, as he had an in depth relationship together with his former boss.

“I treasure his steerage and friendship over time,” Bernardo mentioned, referring to Bonoan. From being sidelined in the course of the Villar years he mentioned Bonoan “entrusted me with extra operational capabilities and let me work extra intently with Usec Cabral.”

Bonoan began to ask him to submit lists of tasks beginning 2022, in keeping with Bernardo.

The way it goes is the district engineers, significantly from the infamous Bulacan First District Engineering Workplace (1st DEO), submit an inventory of tasks to DPWH prime officers. It’s Cabral, whether or not performing on behalf of Villar or Bonoan or simply by herself, who “shall facilitate and make sure the inclusion of those tasks within the NEP” (Nationwide Expenditure Program) or the proposed nationwide price range. This implies Cabral makes certain these tasks shall be funded.

Bernardo mentioned that from 2022 to 2025, or from the time Bonoan was appointed DPWH chief till he resigned, “I dealt with for Sec Bonoan was no less than P5 billion each year for no less than the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, with a mean of 15% dedication.” Dedication refers to kickback.

Bernardo mentioned the kickback proportion diverse per event. In 2023, it was 10%; in 2024 it was 15%, and in 2025, it turned 20%.

He added that of the entire kickbacks per undertaking, Bonoan would get 75% whereas the remaining 25% could be break up between Bernardo and Cabral.

“With respect to the commitments collected by Engineer [Henry] Alcantara narrated above, Sec Bonoan and I acquired a proportion. In lots of situations throughout price range deliberations, I used to be tasked by Sec Bonoan to speak to legislators over their funding and different considerations, and to ahead these considerations to Usec Cabral for motion and determination,” mentioned Bernardo.

Bonoan left the nation and went to the US on November 11. He doesn’t have an arrest warrant, and subsequently no maintain departure order. The immigration lookout bulletin order towards him and different personalities within the scandal can’t stop journey.

Senator Francis Pangilinan requested Bernardo for a ballpark determine on the kickbacks and when the latter couldn’t present it, Pangilinan insisted that this element wouldn’t violate the phrases of Bernardo’s witness safety deal.

Corrupting the ‘allocable’ price range

Bernardo additionally shared that Cabral and Bonoan would reserve among the DPWH’s “allocable” price range “for his or her most popular tasks.”

Allocable funds within the basic sense is a part of the price range that’s accessible to fund Applications, Actions and Initiatives (PAPs). These are the funds accessible after you’ve taken away funds earmarked to pay debt, salaries, and different obligatory bills. Within the DPWH, allocable funds are these set for districts contemplating every space’s ceiling. People who fall outdoors of the district’s allocable funds are used for different DPWH tasks.

Bernardo mentioned Cabral got here up with a formulation in order that lawmakers’ most popular tasks, in addition to their most popular tasks, are included in DPWH’s allocable price range.

“Though she would make it seem that 100% allocable NEP had been apportioned, Usec Cathy Cabral would reserve a considerable proportion of that allocable NEP for her and Sec Bonoan’s most popular tasks,” mentioned Bernardo. 

“Ang formulation po na ‘yun ay kahit kailan hindi napaliwanag sa amin ni Usec Cabral, kahit po kailan, these congressmen bakit ka dumating sa ganung formulation, ito po kumbaga sa engineering, yung formulation might fixed, might variable, might equation, pero siya lang nakakaalam,” mentioned Bernardo. (The formulation was by no means defined by Usec Cabral, even these congressmen have been asking how she bought that formulation. Like in engineering, her formulation has a relentless, a variable and an equation, however solely she is aware of.)

Bernardo mentioned Cabral would take into account the inhabitants of the district, the efficiency, even the political panorama, to have the ability to come up how a lot of the allocable price range of the DPWH may be allotted to complicit lawmakers. “It’s a large universe,” mentioned Bernardo.

When a part of the allocable price range has been apportioned amongst lawmakers, the latter then be sure the price range is handed.

Bulacan 1st DEO’s former district engineer, Henry Alcantara, defined that if the undertaking is funded by non-allocable funds, the contractors shoulder the “advance fee” or the kickbacks which are paid to proponents, primarily lawmakers, even earlier than last price range is permitted. – Rappler.com