Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva strongly denied allegations linking him to a former Bulacan district engineer tagged in anomalous flood control projects, stressing that he never funded any such initiatives and dismissing accusations as fake news.

Villanueva was referring Henry Alcantara, the former district engineer accused of signing off payments to contractors for non-existent or substandard projects in Bulacan, including those flagged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as fraudulent or incomplete. He stated that he only knows him as someone who's also from Bulacan. 

Asked if he ever transacted with Alcantara, he said: "Never, never." 

“Ang transaction is, what is transaction?…So, yun ba, is an evidence, na sangkot? Bakit si Joel lang yung tinuturo? Bibigyan ko kayo lahat ng picture nilang lahat. Bibigyan ko kayo lahat ng video nilang lahat. So, bakit? Bakit ako? Bakit ako? Kasi nagpapagulo sila. Gusto nilang guluhin,” Villanueva said in an interview on Wednesday, Sept. 3, questioning why he was being singled out.

(A transaction—what is a transaction? … So, is that evidence that I am involved? Why is it only Joel who is being pointed at? I can give you all their pictures. I can give you all their videos. So why? Why me? Why me? Because they want to stir things up. They want to cause trouble).

The senator pointed out that he has consistently raised concerns about flooding in Bulacan over the past three years, repeatedly bringing the issue to the Senate floor and in committee hearings.

“Isa-isahin natin lahat ng video. Isa-isahin niyo po yung reports ninyo the past three years about flood control. Isa-isahin po natin. Bakit sa akin tinuturo? Hindi ba napakaklaro dahil tatamaan na sila ngayon? (Let’s go through all the videos one by one. Go through your reports over the past three years about flood control one by one. Why am I the one being pointed at? Isn’t it very clear that it’s because they are now the ones about to be hit?)” he added.

When asked about Wawao Builders’ owner Mark Allan Arevalo and St. Timothy Construction’s Maria Roma Rimando, Villanueva said they appeared to be “dummy companies.”

He also noted that the Discaya family of Alpha & Omega General Contractor has signaled willingness to disclose details about their license-for-rent dealings.

“Well, it looks like they are dummy companies, no?…Klaro yan eh. Even Secretary [Manuel] Bonoan made mention na totoo na nagpapahiram, nabebenta… ang bilis nakakagawa ng kumpanya at nakakapasok. Wala talagang mekanismo,” Villanueva said, pointing to systemic flaws that allow contractors to bypass blacklists and regulations.

(Well, it looks like they are dummy companies, right? That’s clear. Even Secretary [Manuel] Bonoan mentioned that it’s true—licenses are being lent out, sold—and new companies can be set up and allowed to enter so quickly. There really is no mechanism).

He described the situation as a chain of corruption.

Villanueva said he has repeatedly witnessed the effects of flooding in Calumpit, Bulacan, and despite his efforts in the Senate, the problem has persisted. Still, he expressed hope that ongoing investigations would finally lead to accountability.

The senator also vowed to take legal action against individuals spreading false information about him.

“Yung mga nag-spread ng fake news, nag-usap na ho kami ng mga lawyers namin. Itong spreading of lies, it’s too much. It’s preposterous. So, we will also file cases against them,” Villanueva said.

(Those who spread fake news, we’ve already spoken with our lawyers. This spreading of lies is too much. It’s preposterous. So, we will also file cases against them).