MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel “Manny” Bonoan has been released from Philippine National Police (PNP) custody, days after the Sandiganbayan removed him as an accused in the high-profile flood control corruption cases.
Bonoan was turned over by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) National Capital Region to his family and left the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame at around 10:35 a.m. on Friday, September 4, following the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division’s release order.
His release marks a major development in the government’s investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding flood control projects, particularly because prosecutors are seeking to use the former DPWH chief as a state witness in other related cases.
Sandiganbayan recalls arrest orders
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division earlier recalled the commitment orders issued against Bonoan after granting the prosecution’s request to exclude him from two criminal cases involving alleged graft and plunder.
The court subsequently ordered the PNP Health Service General Hospital to release Bonoan unless he was being held for another lawful reason.
The release followed a 2-1 ruling by the Fifth Division allowing the Office of the Ombudsman’s motion to remove Bonoan as a co-accused.
Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses and Maryann Corpuz-Mañalac voted in favor of the move, while Associate Justice Gener Gito dissented.
Why Bonoan was being considered as a state witness
The Ombudsman had sought Bonoan’s discharge from the cases as part of its effort to have him cooperate with the government and testify in other flood control corruption proceedings.
Bonoan had previously been charged alongside Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and former DPWH officials Manny Bulusan, Arturo Gonzales Jr. and Denryl Caesar Cortuna in cases involving an alleged P573.75-million kickback scheme connected to flood control and infrastructure projects under the 2025 national budget.
The prosecution alleges that the scheme involved manipulating budget allocations and project selections to facilitate questionable infrastructure projects.
Importantly, Bonoan’s removal from these particular cases does not amount to a judicial declaration that he was innocent of all allegations involving the flood control controversy.
Not everyone agreed with Bonoan’s discharge
The decision to remove Bonoan as an accused has already drawn scrutiny.
Justice Gener Gito, the lone dissenter, questioned whether the court had been given enough information about the proposed immunity arrangement and Bonoan’s cooperation with prosecutors.
In his dissent, Gito argued that the court was not sufficiently informed about what specific information Bonoan would provide, what his testimony would cover and which cases would rely on it.
The disagreement highlights one of the central questions surrounding Bonoan’s new status: how much evidence can he provide to investigators, and how significant will his testimony be to the government’s broader flood control cases?
Bonoan had been under hospital arrest since June
Bonoan had been in PNP custody since June after surrendering in connection with the cases.
Because of his medical condition, the Sandiganbayan allowed him to remain under hospital arrest at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame rather than in a regular detention facility.
Earlier reports said the court considered his health conditions in allowing the hospital arrangement.
The PNP had previously said it would closely monitor Bonoan’s medical condition and emphasized that his confinement at the police hospital did not constitute VIP treatment.
He still faces another graft case
Despite his release, Bonoan is not completely free of legal proceedings.
He continues to face a separate graft case before the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division. That case is distinct from the two cases from which he was discharged.
Graft is bailable, and Bonoan has already posted P90,000 bail in connection with that separate case, according to GMA News and Philstar.
Release comes as Estrada case moves forward
Bonoan’s release came as the Sandiganbayan proceeded with the arraignment of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in the related graft and plunder cases.
Estrada declined to enter a plea, prompting the court to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf under the rules of criminal procedure. He remains among the accused together with three former DPWH officials.
The development effectively puts Bonoan and Estrada on sharply different legal tracks: Bonoan has been removed as an accused in the Fifth Division cases and is being positioned as a potential government witness, while Estrada continues to face prosecution.
The bigger question: What will Bonoan reveal?
Bonoan’s release is therefore more than a change in his detention status.
His potential cooperation with prosecutors could become significant to the government’s wider investigation into alleged corruption in flood control projects.
Reports have also noted that Bonoan had already appeared as a prosecution witness in another flood-control-related case involving former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., where he discussed the DPWH’s handling of so-called priority projects.
For investigators, the value of Bonoan’s cooperation will ultimately depend on the evidence and testimony he can provide and how prosecutors use that information in cases involving other officials and alleged participants.
For now, Bonoan is out of PNP custody—but his next appearance as a potential government witness could put new focus on the people and mechanisms behind the controversial flood control projects.
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