MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman will ask the Sandiganbayan to remove former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan as a respondent in the P573-million flood control cases to allow him to become a state witness.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday that Bonoan had agreed to cooperate with the government in its investigation.

“We already have a signed agreement for the cooperation of former secretary Manuel Bonoan to be a state witness, to be a cooperating witness,” Remulla said during a press conference.

“We will ask the court to discharge him as a respondent so he can testify for us,” he added.

Remulla said Bonoan’s knowledge of the alleged irregularities would be important in building the government’s cases.

“The knowledge that he has about the whole institution is something very important to us, to be able to prove many cases,” he said.

Bonoan is facing a non-bailable plunder case involving alleged P573-million kickbacks from flood control projects. He is a co-accused of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former DPWH NCR Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar Sanchez Cortuna, DPWH NCR District Engineer Manny Bumagat Bulusan, and DPWH NCR District Engineer Arturo Lombres Gonzales Jr. The case is pending before the Fifth Division of the Sandiganbayan.

He is also facing two counts of graft alongside Estrada.

Bonoan was arrested on June 1 in connection with the plunder case.

The Sandiganbayan later granted his request for hospital arrest on humanitarian grounds, citing his advanced age and life-threatening medical conditions. According to the information presented in court, Bonoan is suffering from diabetes, hypertension, acute coronary syndrome, chronic kidney disease, prostate cancer, and spinal problems.

The cases stem from alleged budget insertions and kickback schemes involving P573-million worth of flood control projects.