Sen. Villanueva Challenges Ex-DPWH Engineer to Prove Flood Control Kickback Allegations

Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday handed a copy of the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) to former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez, urging him to substantiate his claims linking the senator to questionable flood control projects.

“You may give this to Brice and let him point out what he said before the House—that Joel Villanueva has flood control projects in the GAA,” Villanueva told reporters.

The senator’s move came after Hernandez testified in the September 9 House inquiry, alleging that both Villanueva and Senator Jinggoy Estrada received kickbacks from flood control projects.

Villanueva strongly denied the accusation, reiterating that he has never been involved in infrastructure projects or allocations tied to the DPWH. He maintained that his record in Congress would show no such insertions under his name.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the House of Representatives are conducting parallel investigations into alleged corruption and anomalies in flood control programs funded through the national budget.

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