In an ideal situation, the twilight years of a person’s life is supposed to be spent in a happy and serene retirement— a chance to make up for the things that were missed during busy working days, a chance for a quality time with family and grandkids, and a chance to do good especially when you have nothing more to prove.

But it was not the case for former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan.

At 80, he stayed overnight at the Philippine National Police General Hospital and was transported on Tuesday afternoon, June 2, via an ambulance to the 5th Division of the Sandiganbayan which decides where he would be detained at the course of the trial for a non-bailable offense of plunder.

Bonoan is also facing graft cases along with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in connection with the multi-billion peso—some say trillion peso— substandard and non-existent flood control projects in various parts of the country.

A civil engineering graduate of Mapua, Bonoan was linked to the flood control over alleged kickback schemes and negligence that paved the way for the systematic plunder of public funds.

Bonoan was also accused of providing wrong coordinates to Malacañang’s infrastructure monitoring teams allegedly to hide the ghost flood control projects.

But at his old age, Bonoan showed how to confront legal problems head-on by surrendering to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) headquarters at Camp Crame a few hours after his arrest warrant for plunder was issued.

He did it in silence. No bravado, no drama—unlike other high-profile personalities who were supposed to embody courage and strong will but ended up running scared and playing catch-me-if-you-can games with law enforcers.

It was while undergoing booking procedures on Monday, June 1. that Bonoan’s blood pressure shot up, which scared medical practitioners who later recommended that he be confined and treated first at the PNPGH before being brought to the Sandiganbayan.

PNPGH chief Police Col. Cleto Manongas said the blood pressure of Bonoan has already stabilized and he is no longer complaining about anything, from headache to dizziness.

While Bonoan was also assessed to be fit to face the Sandiganbayan, Manongas said they still have to monitor and assist the CIDG in ensuring that he will be okay when he is transported to the anti-graft court.

The medical clearance is ready and according to Manongas, “We will assist the CIDG with a medical doctor and nurses on board an ambulance going there (Sandiganbayan).”

He said it is up to the Sandiganbayan to determine if Bonoan needs hospital arrest or join Estrada and his four other co-accused at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas.

Bonoan spent most of his time in DPWH where he started as a junior engineer and reached the highest post in 2007 as acting secretary. After his retirement as senior undersecretary of the department in 2010, he joined the private sector as head of infrastructure and tollway firms.

He was later appointed by President Marcos as DPWH secretary in 2022 but was fired at the height of the flood control mess probe last year.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the PNP said Bonoan remains under close observation by the hospital’s medical team and continues to receive appropriate medical attention.

“Necessary diagnostic procedures are being undertaken to further guide his treatment and ensure comprehensive care,” the statement read.

From a supposed freedom that comes with full retirement benefits, Bonoan is also tightly guarded and will continue to do so, unless the Sandiganbayan rules in his favor.