1 month ago
24
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
December 19, 2025 | 5:55pm
Former DPWH district engineer Henry Alcantara returns P71 million in cash to the Department of Justice on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, as part of his restitution.
News5 / Camille Samonte
MANILA, Philippines — Henry Alcantara, former Bulacan First District engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways, surrendered P71 million to the Department of Justice on Friday as restitution for his role in the flood control scam.
With this second repayment, Alcantara has now returned a total of P181 million to the national coffers. The restitution, tied to kickbacks in Bulacan’s flood control projects, partially satisfies his civil liability and the government's effort to recover stolen funds.
He first turned over P110 million in cash to the DOJ on November 28 as partial restitution of the P300 million in kickbacks he admitted to receiving from DPWH projects. The transfer has already been validated by Landbank.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon also responded to skepticism over Alcantara’s P300 million profit, saying the restitution stated in the memorandum of agreement under the Witness Protection Program covers only what Alcantara confessed, leaving open the possibility of further liability for any other earnings, should he have any.
"This does not mean that the restitution we refer to will be completed there," he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
"For example, in the course of the investigation, it may turn out that there are other cases involved that were not mentioned to us at the time they were interviewed or applied to the program. If that happens, it would mean additional coverage," he added.
The DOJ currently relies on the affidavits and testimonies of the implicated officials applying to become a witness in the ongoing probes. There is no clear formula yet as to how much should be returned, but Fadullon assured that the agency seeks to get back every centavo taken from public funds.
Both Alcantara and former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, who also confessed to delivering kickbacks to officials, have been provisionally admitted into the Witness Protection Program and now qualify for state witness, Fadullon said.
As a state witness, they are obligated to testify on behalf of the state in the cases covered by their memorandum of agreement.
To recall, Alcantara testified during congressional hearings in September that Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, former Sen. Bong Revilla and resigned Rep. Elizaldy Co received millions to billions in kickbacks from infrastructure projects in Bulacan in previous years.
He also admitted to approving certificates, marking unfinished and substandard projects as complete, allowing the release of funds.
Aside from Alcantara, former DPWH regional director Gerard Opulencia also turned over P40 million to the Department of Justice on December 16, part of his commitment to return a total of P150 million.
Opulencia is a respondent in five cases under preliminary investigation by the DOJ, involving alleged ghost construction projects awarded to Syms Construction in Bulacan. He has also been provisionally admitted to the Witness Protection Program.
