MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan is no longer an accused in the plunder and graft cases being handled by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, in a major development tied to the widening investigation into alleged corruption in flood-control projects.
The anti-graft court granted the Office of the Ombudsman’s request to discharge Bonoan from the cases, clearing the way for prosecutors to potentially use him as a state witness in other investigations stemming from alleged irregularities in government infrastructure projects.
The decision was reportedly reached by the Fifth Division in a 2-1 vote. According to GMA News, the court found that determining whether an accused should be discharged and used as a state witness falls within the Ombudsman’s prosecutorial discretion. The court also recognized the Ombudsman’s authority under the law to grant immunity in appropriate circumstances.
Why Bonoan’s removal matters
Bonoan had been charged alongside Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and several former DPWH officials in connection with an alleged P573-million kickback scheme involving flood-control and infrastructure projects.
Prosecutors have alleged that the scheme involved the manipulation of project allocations and the collection of predetermined commissions from contractors. The accusations remain allegations, and the respondents have the right to defend themselves in court.
The Ombudsman previously sought Bonoan’s discharge after he offered to cooperate with investigators and become a state witness. Prosecutors said his experience as a former DPWH secretary gave him potentially important knowledge about how the alleged system operated.
A previous court ruling had blocked his removal
The latest ruling comes after a different Sandiganbayan division rejected an earlier attempt to remove Bonoan from a separate graft case.
On August 3, the Sandiganbayan Second Division ruled that removing Bonoan from that case at that stage could prejudice Estrada, who had already been arraigned. However, the court specifically said the prosecution was not barred from seeking Bonoan’s eventual discharge as a state witness if the requirements under the rules were satisfied.
That distinction is important: Bonoan’s removal from the Fifth Division cases does not mean all cases involving him automatically disappear. The Second Division’s separate graft case had previously remained an issue.
From accused to potential state witness
Bonoan’s legal position has shifted significantly since the flood-control investigation intensified.
In June, the former DPWH chief sought state-witness status, offering what was described as a “tell-all” account of the alleged scheme. The Ombudsman subsequently supported his bid, citing his potential direct knowledge of matters relevant to the investigation.
The development also follows Bonoan’s earlier appearance as a prosecution witness in another case involving former Senator Bong Revilla. During testimony in August, however, Bonoan repeatedly invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination when questioned about allegations connected to his own pending cases.
What happens next?
The latest ruling could make Bonoan an important potential source of information for investigators pursuing the broader flood-control corruption probe.
But the court’s decision should not be interpreted as a finding that Bonoan was innocent of the allegations, nor does it amount to a judicial determination that the alleged corruption scheme did not occur.
Rather, the development concerns his legal status as an accused in the Fifth Division cases and the prosecution’s effort to use his cooperation in pursuing other alleged participants and mechanisms behind the infrastructure controversy.
Meanwhile, the other accused—including Estrada—remain subject to the proceedings. GMA News reported that the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division had scheduled Estrada’s arraignment for September 3.
The case therefore enters a potentially consequential new phase: a former DPWH chief who was once facing plunder and graft charges could now become a key witness in the government’s effort to trace how the alleged flood-control kickback machinery operated.
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