MANILA— State witness and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified Thursday that Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez never asked him for a list of infrastructure projects in exchange for commitments or kickbacks.

According to a report, Bernardo made the statement during the Sandiganbayan hearing on Romualdez’s bail petition in connection with a P7.4-billion plunder case involving the former House speaker, former House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co, personal assistant Joselyn Tragua Sereño, and Samchan Foreign Exchange Corporation president Felicito Cristobal Guevarra.

During cross-examination by Romualdez’s lawyer, Bernardo confirmed that neither his six affidavits nor his two judicial affidavits stated that Romualdez had asked him for projects or kickbacks.

He also affirmed that he had never referred to Romualdez as a project proponent and that the lawmaker had not requested a list of projects from him.

“Wala pong ganun,” Bernardo said when asked about the alleged request.

Asked whether he knew of any commitment or kickback delivered to Romualdez, Bernardo replied, “Wala po.”

Bernardo explained that his affidavits mentioned Romualdez only in connection with seeing the former speaker at the September 2016 birthday celebration of then-DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.

The former official acknowledged receiving a financial share equivalent to 1% of transactions involving former DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office district engineer Henry Alcantara and Co. He said Alcantara and then-DPWH National Capital Region director Gerard Opulencia provided lists of projects for lawmakers seeking funding and collected commitment fees from contractors as kickbacks for project proponents.

“Boss, hati na tayo sa (let’s split the) 2%,” Bernardo recalled Alcantara telling him.

Asked whether he received a portion of a project’s cost, Bernardo answered, “in some cases.”

He clarified, however, that he had no personal knowledge of the dealings between Alcantara and Co.

“Sinabi niya (Alcantara) [lang] po sa akin na nagdedeliver siya kay Zaldy Co,” Bernardo said.

Bernardo added that Co called him only in 2021 to ask about Alcantara, whom he described as professional and easy to deal with.

During the hearing, the defense also questioned Bernardo about his decision to disclose information about the alleged flood control scheme. In his judicial affidavit, he said he came forward after people who had previously helped him failed to support him when he was questioned during a Senate inquiry.

Bernardo said that was not his sole motivation.

“Hindi ko po masasabi na ‘yun lang ang dahilan. When I learned about ghost projects, hindi ko na po kayang dalhin iyon. Kailangan matigil ‘yun,” he said.

Witness details alleged deliveries

In a separate Sandiganbayan Fifth Division hearing on the bail petition of suspended Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Vergel Nino Garcia, a former aide of Bernardo, testified that he delivered suitcases and boxes to several officials and politicians on Bernardo’s instructions.

Estrada faces a P573-million plunder charge over alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Garcia said he delivered 12 boxes intended for Estrada to the Artiaga Building in San Juan City in November 2024. He was accompanied by Bernardo’s driver, Francisco dela Fuente.

Garcia testified that they did not take photographs or videos of the delivery and that he did not know what the boxes contained. He recalled men unloading the boxes and carrying them into the building, where he briefly saw Estrada wearing a T-shirt, pants and leather shoes.

Afterward, Garcia said he called Bernardo to report that the delivery had been completed.

He also claimed to have delivered up to 12 boxes to former senator Bong Revilla, 15 boxes to former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, one box and one paper bag to former DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, and eight suitcases and 15 boxes to former Education undersecretary Trygve Olaivar.

Garcia also recalled making a delivery to the Cherry Mobile Building but said he did not know its intended recipient.

He had previously made similar allegations during a Sandiganbayan Third Division hearing on the malversation case against Revilla.

Opulencia describes alleged fee system

Former DPWH-NCR director Opulencia, who also testified, said DPWH officials received a 5% to 10% kickback called “pasasalamat,” on top of the 25% commitment fees.

He said project costs were inflated to accommodate the fees while ensuring that the resulting infrastructure would not be substandard.

Opulencia said he did not request a share as gratitude for his promotion but acknowledged receiving something from implemented projects.

Although he denied participating directly in kickback deliveries, he said he coordinated them.

Opulencia also testified that Bernardo asked for P360 million, prompting him to contact DPWH engineers Manny Bulusan, Denryl Cortuna and Arturo Gonzales Jr. to prepare the commitment fee.

He said he initially did not know who would receive the money but later learned that it was intended for Estrada.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division is scheduled to resume the hearing on November 4.