Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr has strongly denied allegations of involvement in irregularities related to flood-control projects, as the Philippine Senate continues investigations into massive corruption within the country’s infrastructure spending.
The allegations emerged during a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on 23 September 2025, when former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Henry Alcantara testified about suspect budget allocations.
Alcantara claimed that former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo had referenced P300M in “insertions” — budget allocations allegedly directed to specific lawmakers, including Bong Revilla.
He also alleged that “proponent shares”, a term often associated with kickbacks in government contracts, had been inflated.
A history of scandal
This is not the first time Bong Revilla has faced corruption allegations.
The senator was previously accused of funnelling his pork barrel funds through bogus non-governmental organisations linked to businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, allegedly earning P224.5M pesos in kickbacks.
Bong Revilla was the largest contributor among 28 legislators implicated in the scandal, with around P1.015 Billion pesos of his Priority Development Assistance Fund transferred to organizations identified with the JLN Group of Companies.
In 2021, the Sandiganbayan anti-corruption court acquitted Revilla of 16 counts of graft in a narrow 3-2 vote, though his co-accused, businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and lawyer Richard Cambe, were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Wider investigation
The current Senate probe has also drawn attention to other prominent political figures, including Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, as well as Representative Zaldy Co, who was former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.
In July 2025, Senator Panfilo Lacson claimed that as much as half of the 2 trillion pesos allocated for flood control over 15 years may have been lost to corruption, with only 40% of project funds translating into actual construction.
Flood-control infrastructure is particularly critical for the Philippines, a nation frequently battered by typhoons and severe flooding.
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