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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider From accused to witness: Group rejects Ombudsman's move to make ex-DPWH chief Bonoan a state witness

From accused to witness: Group rejects Ombudsman's move to make ex-DPWH chief Bonoan a state witness

Published Jul 2, 2026 02:19 pm
BONOAN (MB FILE PHOTO)
BONOAN (MB FILE PHOTO)
A progressive group has rejected the move of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) to make former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan a state witness in flood-control cases involving high-ranking government officials, saying it is unacceptable for Bonoan to get off “scot-free” as long as he cooperates with the OMB.
In a statement, Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) said making Bonoan a state witness rewards “bad behavior.”
The group also pointed out that the testimonies of former DPWH officials Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez are enough to prove the alleged irregularities surrounding the controversial agency’s projects.
“It was already unacceptable that Bonoan be given special treatment in Camp Crame of all places, while starving and struggling Filipinos arrested on petty crimes have to endure immediate and arbitrary arrests by the police,” SPARK said.
“Now he also stands to get off basically scot-free so long as he cooperates with the Ombudsman for its clearly biased and partisan agenda,” it added.
It can be recalled that, during a Sandiganbayan hearing, it was revealed that Bonoan’s medical conditions included acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, CKD or chronic kidney disease, carcinoma, prostate cancer, and spine pain.
Likewise, SPARK stressed that Filipinos are tired of the delays in the filing of charges against government officials involved in alleged irregularities in flood-control projects.
The group noted that the OMB itself had set a deadline for the filing of charges but had failed to follow its own timeline.
“The longer it takes for the Ombudsman to act, the more they show how weak and ineffectual their anti-corruption campaign has become,” it stated.
For SPARK, the former DPWH chief must receive the “full and maximum penalty for stealing from the public coffers.”
CLAVANO (JEL SANTOS/MB FILE PHOTO)
CLAVANO (JEL SANTOS/MB FILE PHOTO)
Earlier, Assistant Ombudsman Jose Dominic “Mico” Clavano IV said it was a “tough” decision for the OMB to accept Bonoan as a state witness, noting that he was in a unique position to provide firsthand information.
“’Yung budgetary process po, ’yung budget po ng DPWH, budget po ni former Sec. Bonoan, ’yon po ang kinalikot na budget ng House leadership at that time. Ang corruption po kasi, hindi mo puwede i-penetrate galing sa labas. Kailangan mayroon kang insider sa loob. It was a tough decision for the Office to arrive at that, na i-accept namin si former Secretary Bonoan as a state witness (The DPWH budget and former Secretary Bonoan’s budget were among those allegedly manipulated by the House leadership at that time. Corruption cannot be penetrated from the outside. You need an insider. It was a tough decision for the Office to accept former Secretary Bonoan as a state witness),” he said.
Per Clavano, the Ombudsman’s authority to grant immunity is intended to obtain crucial testimony, not to shield guilty individuals from prosecution.
On May 28, the OMB filed plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Bonoan over alleged illegal budget insertions and purported kickbacks linked to DPWH infrastructure and flood-control projects funded under the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

Related Tags

Office of the Ombudsman Manuel Bonoan DPWH SPARK Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan flood-control projects corruption state witness Philippine politics government accountability
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