ICI RECOMMENDS PLUNDER, GRAFT RAPS VS ESTRADA, VILLANUEVA, CO, ET AL OVER FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL

THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure  (ICI) on Wednesday recommended the filing of plunder and graft cases against Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, resigned congressman Elizalde “Zaldy” Co and other officials over their alleged involvement in the flood control scandal.

The ICI submitted its recommendation to the Office of the Ombudsman following a month-long investigation into what it described as large-scale corruption and fund diversion.

ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr. said aside from Estrada, Villanueva and Co, also included in the filing of complaints were Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana, former Caloocan Rep.  Mitch Cajayon-Uy,  and ex-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

The ICI recommended direct or indirect bribery, corruption of public officers, and plunder and graft charges against the personalities for possibly being involved “in obtaining bribes or unwarranted monetary benefits from flood control project contractors.”

​The ICI launched an investigation into the flood control scandal in September 2025.

The inquiry focused on reports of alleged collusion among legislators, DPWH officials, and private contractors in the misuse of allocations for flood-control projects.

​Based on sworn affidavits from former DPWH engineers  Henry Alcantara, Brice Ericson Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza, the ICI uncovered an alleged scheme where legislators acted as project proponents to insert flood-control projects into the National Expenditure Program (NEP), the House General Appropriations Bill (HGAB), and the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The proponents reportedly received commissions ranging from 20% to 30% of the project costs.

​The former DPWH officials testified that this arrangement, often referred to as “SOP,” resulted in the diversion of billions of pesos in public funds leading to inflated project costs and substandard implementation.

Estrada has vehemently denied receiving flood control funds and vowed to prove this in court.

Villanueva also expressed readiness to face the complaint as he maintained he knew nothing about the flood control projects.