Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan has been ordered by the Sandiganbayan Third Division to testify in the trial of former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. over the alleged misuse of public funds involving a multimillion-peso ghost infrastructure project in Bulacan.
A subpoena dated August 7 was served on Bonoan at the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital, where he remains under hospital arrest. The order directed him to appear before the anti-graft court and give testimony.
“You are hereby commanded to appear and testify before the Sandiganbayan, Third Division,” the subpoena stated.
The court also directed PNP Health Service Director Brig. Gen. Portia Manalad to produce Bonoan before the court on the scheduled hearing.
Bonoan, 80, has been under hospital arrest due to several medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease, among other illnesses.
The former DPWH chief is a co-accused in the plunder and graft cases against former Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
The Office of the Ombudsman, however, accepted Bonoan’s offer to become a state witness and has sought his exclusion from the cases.
The Sandiganbayan Second Division, which is handling his graft case, has so far denied the prosecution’s motion to drop him as an accused.
The subpoena was issued after Ombudsman Deputy Special Prosecutor Omar Sagadal requested that Bonoan testify during Revilla’s trial last Tuesday.
Sagadal made the request following the testimony of former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo in the malversation case against Revilla involving an alleged P92.8-million ghost project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Prosecutors alleged that the project was part of a scheme in which Revilla supposedly received a 25-percent kickback.
During his testimony, Bernardo said Bonoan exercised discretionary control over more than P10 billion in DPWH funds earmarked for projects endorsed by lawmakers and other proponents for inclusion in the National Expenditure Program.
Bernardo also reiterated his earlier testimony during Revilla’s bail hearing, claiming that the former senator secured approximately P1.5 billion in project allocations through Bonoan and allegedly received around P500 million in kickbacks.
Revilla, who is currently out on temporary liberty after posting a ₱1-million bail, has repeatedly denied the allegations and maintained that he had no involvement in the alleged ghost project.
the alleged ghost project.