Resigned Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan turns out to be part of a family contractor business that bagged huge government projects in Pampanga, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson revealed Tuesday.
In his privilege speech, Lacson said Bonoan’s daughter Fatima Gay Bonoan-dela Cruz is treasurer of MBB Global Properties Corp., owned by the family of Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque.
“Kaya naman pala ang palaging depensa ni dating DPWH Secretary Bonoan – isolated case lang daw ang nakita ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos na ghost project sa Bulacan. Ayaw na siguro ni Bonoan na maungkat pa sa imbestigasyon ang Globalcrete (So that’s why former DPWH Sec. Bonoan claimed the anomalous projects that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. saw in Bulacan were ‘isolated cases.’ Perhaps Bonoan did not want the investigation to reach Globalcrete),” Lacson said.
In Filipino: Lacson Ikinabit si Ex-DPWH Chief Bonoan sa Negosyo ng Kontrata sa Pampanga
Lacson said Mayor Maglanque is the patriarch of the Maglanque family that owns Globalcrete Builders, a contractor that collected P2.195 billion in flood control project contracts from 2018 to 2024 in Bulacan alone. The mayor was president of Globalcrete in 2024 and signed contracts on behalf of the company even when he should have divested.
The Maglanque family also owns MBB Global Properties Corp. that owns the P1-billion Wyndham Garden Hotel in Clark, Pampanga. MBB’s 2024 General Information Sheet showed Macy Monique Maglanque is president of the firm; Sunshine M. Bernardo as corporate secretary; and Bonoan-dela Cruz as treasurer.
Also, Lacson noted the firm’s initials MBB stand for Maglanque, Bernardo, Bonoan. Corporate secretary Bernardo is a daughter of DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who went on early retirement after being linked to the flood control mess while Macy is the mayor’s daughter.
“Kayo na po ang mag-‘connect the dots’ (You connect the dots),” Lacson said.
Also in his speech, Lacson detailed the casino spree of the so-called BGC Boys – the Bulacan Group of Contractors:
* Sacked DPWH Region 4A OIC assistant regional director and ex-Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara who used the alias Joseph Castro Villegas in casinos;
* Bulacan OIC District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, using the alias Marvin Santos de Guzman;
* Assistant District Engineer Jaypee Mendoza, using the alias Peejay Asuncion;
* DPWH Engineer II Arjay Domasig, introducing himself as a SYMS Trading Corp. contractor using the alias Sandro Bernardo Park;
* Edrick San Diego.
Lacson said his office submitted their names and aliases to the Anti-Money Laundering Council as casinos are covered by the amended Anti-Money Laundering Act.
In his speech, Lacson also detailed the paper trails of flood control contracts in Bulacan that showed the projects were completed at great speed; and the use of identical photos in progress billings – which were certified and approved for payment by Hernandez and Alcantara.
“Trabahong tamad para sa trabahong gahaman, Mr. President (Lazy work for greedy folks),” Lacson said, adding the contractor, Syms Construction, should be blacklisted forever.
He also cited the case of Wawao Builders, which documents showed completed half of two projects in seven days, and the other half in a mere four months.
“Kawawao na kawawao talaga ang mga Pilipino sa Wawao Builders,” he said.
Lacson said it is time to act not with quick fixes or band-aid solutions, but to weed out corruption in the DPWH even as investigations are running their course in both chambers of Congress and the President shows no sign of wavering in this fight.
“We are on the right trajectory in getting to the bottom of this systemic rot and punishing to the fullest extent of the law those who have corrupted us,” he said as he pushed for the following measures:
* Using the Senate’s oversight functions to help in the prosecution of those involved;
* Filing of criminal cases, including multiple violations of Article 217 in relation to Articles 48 and 171 par. 4 of the Revised Penal Code or malversation through falsification of public documents due to the use of manipulated photos in contractors’ progress billing reports, later certified by DPWH officials;
* Prosecution for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act;
* Filing of charges for violation of R.A. 7080 or the Anti-Plunder Law;
* Prosecution of the BGC Boys for using fictitious names or aliases to gamble in casinos – a clear violation of Article 178 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC);
* Prosecution for violating section 31, article II of R.A. 4136, which expressly outlaws the making, use, or possession of licenses in imitation or similitude of those legally issued by the LTO;
* Prosecution for violation of Presidential Decree No. 1869; R.A. 6713, and various memorandum circulars, prohibiting and penalizing government officials for entering and much more, for playing in casinos.
* Mr. President, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, as amended, is likewise violated as the proceeds of graft and plunder are transacted and converted by purchasing casino chips and subsequently cashing them out after minimal gaming, thereby disguising the true source of the funds.
Lacson also urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze the bank accounts of the individuals and their subsequent prosecution for violating the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
He likewise pushed for administrative cases against the erring DPWH officials including grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, and/or conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and the Code of Conduct pertaining to the practice of their profession as regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Legislative Reforms
Aside from punishing those involved, Lacson pushed for legislative reforms to prevent a repeat of their offenses. “Our goal is not only punitive, but also preventive. We do it through reforms in our legislation,” Lacson said. He pushed for:
* Amendment of R.A. 4566, as amended by P.D. No. 1746 or the Contractors’ License Law, to institutionalize the perpetual absolute ban of blacklisted contractors found to have ghost and substandard projects, and higher penalties for conflicts of interest brought by interlocking positions in related industries or entities;
* Amendment to increase penalties for conflicts of interest, especially those public officials and employees who may also act as contractors under Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees);
* Transparency initiatives in the budget process and accountability measures in the planning and budgeting of infrastructure projects. Projects without detailed architectural and engineering design (DAED) should not be funded, even as the DPWH should also publish DAED, program of works, and detailed unit price analysis (DUPA).
Meanwhile, Lacson pushed for the people to speak up instead of being defeatist, which he said merely “embolden those who have robbed us of our hard-earned taxpayers’ money.”
“Mr. President, these people have reduced the lives of our flood-stricken countrymen into living hell. It is time to give them what they rightly deserve,” he said.
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Lacson Ikinabit si Ex-DPWH Chief Bonoan sa Negosyo ng Kontrata sa Pampanga
Lumabas na bahagi pala ng negosyo ng pamilya na may malalaking kontrata sa Pampanga si nagbitiw na Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes.
Sa kanyang talumpati sa pribilehiyo, sinabi ni Lacson na si Fatima Gay Bonoan-Dela Cruz, anak ni Bonoan, ang treasurer ng MBB Global Properties Corp. na pagmamay-ari ng pamilya ni Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque.
“Kaya naman pala ang palaging depensa ni dating DPWH Secretary Bonoan – isolated case lang daw ang nakita ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos na ghost project sa Bulacan. Ayaw na siguro ni Bonoan na maungkat pa sa imbestigasyon ang Globalcrete,” ani Lacson.
Dagdag ni Lacson, si Mayor Maglanque ang patriyarka ng pamilyang Maglanque na may-ari ng Globalcrete Builders, isang kontratista na kumubra ng P2.195 bilyon halaga ng flood control projects mula 2018 hanggang 2024 sa Bulacan pa lamang. Noong 2024, si Maglanque ang presidente ng Globalcrete at siya mismo ang lumagda sa ilang kontrata kahit dapat ay nag-divest siya.
Pagmamay-ari rin ng pamilya Maglanque ang MBB Global Properties Corp. na siyang nagmamay-ari ng halos P1-bilyong Wyndham Garden Hotel sa Clark, Pampanga. Batay sa 2024 General Information Sheet ng MBB, si Macy Monique Maglanque ang presidente ng kumpanya; si Sunshine M. Bernardo ang corporate secretary; at si Bonoan-Dela Cruz ang treasurer.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, ang inisyal ng kumpanya na MBB ay nangangahulugang Maglanque, Bernardo, Bonoan. Si Bernardo, ang corporate secretary, ay anak ni DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo na nag-early retirement matapos masangkot sa isyu ng flood control, habang si Macy ay anak ng alkalde.
“Kayo na po ang mag-‘connect the dots,’” ani Lacson.
Sa parehong talumpati, inilantad din ni Lacson ang tinawag na “casino spree” ng mga BGC Boys o Bulacan Group of Contractors:
* Tinanggal na DPWH Region 4A OIC assistant regional director at dating Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara na gumamit ng alias na Joseph Castro Villegas sa casino;
* Bulacan OIC District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, gamit ang alias na Marvin Santos de Guzman;
* Assistant District Engineer Jaypee Mendoza, gamit ang alias na Peejay Asuncion;
* DPWH Engineer II Arjay Domasig, na nagpakilalang contractor ng SYMS Trading Corp. gamit ang alias na Sandro Bernardo Park;
* Edrick San Diego.
Ayon kay Lacson, isinumite ng kanyang opisina ang mga pangalan at alias ng mga ito sa Anti-Money Laundering Council dahil saklaw ng inamyendahang Anti-Money Laundering Act ang mga casino.
Ipinakita rin ni Lacson ang mga papeles kaugnay ng flood control contracts sa Bulacan na tila “minadali” ang pagkumpleto, pati paggamit ng magkakaparehong litrato sa progress billings na inaprubahan para bayaran nina Hernandez at Alcantara.
“Trabahong tamad para sa trabahong gahaman, Mr. President,” ani Lacson, na nagrekomenda na dapat habambuhay nang ma-blacklist ang kontratistang Syms Construction.
Binigyang-diin din niya ang kaso ng Wawao Builders, kung saan ang dokumento ay nagpapakita na natapos umano ang kalahati ng dalawang proyekto sa loob ng pitong araw, at ang natitirang kalahati sa apat na buwan lamang.
“Kawawao na kawawao talaga ang mga Pilipino sa Wawao Builders,” aniya.
Ayon kay Lacson, panahon na para kumilos hindi gamit ang quick fixes o band-aid solutions, kundi para linisin ang DPWH sa katiwalian, lalo’t nagpapatuloy ang imbestigasyon sa parehong kapulungan ng Kongreso at patuloy na matatag ang paninindigan ng Pangulo laban dito.
“We are on the right trajectory in getting to the bottom of this systemic rot and punishing to the fullest extent of the law those who have corrupted us,” aniya, sabay banggit ng mga sumusunod na hakbang:
Gamitin ang oversight functions ng Senado para makatulong sa pag-usig sa mga sangkot;
Pagsasampa ng kasong kriminal, kabilang ang paglabag sa Article 217 kaugnay ng Articles 48 at 171 par. 4 ng Revised Penal Code o malversation through falsification of public documents dahil sa paggamit ng peke at dinoktor na litrato sa progress billings na kalaunan ay kinumpirma ng DPWH officials;
Pag-usig sa ilalim ng Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act;
Pagsasampa ng kaso sa ilalim ng R.A. 7080 o Anti-Plunder Law;
Pag-usig sa BGC Boys dahil sa paggamit ng pekeng pangalan o alias sa mga casino – malinaw na paglabag sa Article 178 ng Revised Penal Code;
Pag-usig dahil sa paglabag sa section 31, article II ng R.A. 4136, na tahasang nagbabawal sa paggawa, paggamit, o pag-iingat ng pekeng lisensya na ginaya mula sa LTO;
Pag-usig dahil sa paglabag sa Presidential Decree No. 1869; R.A. 6713, at iba’t ibang memorandum circulars, na nagbabawal at nagpaparusa sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno sa pagpasok at lalo na sa paglalaro sa casino.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, malinaw ring nilabag ng mga “big-time gamblers” ang Anti-Money Laundering Act dahil ginamit ang perang galing sa katiwalian at plunder para bumili ng casino chips at i-cash out ang mga ito matapos ang kaunting laro, upang itago ang tunay na pinagmulan ng pondo.
Hinikayat niya ang Anti-Money Laundering Council na i-freeze ang mga bank account ng mga indibidwal na ito at isampa ang kaukulang kaso laban sa kanila.
Isinusulong din niya ang mga kasong administratibo laban sa mga tiwaling opisyal ng DPWH, kabilang ang grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, at/o conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, paglabag sa Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, at sa Code of Conduct na saklaw ng Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Mga Reporma sa Batas
Bukod sa pagpapanagot, isinusulong din ni Lacson ang mga repormang pambatas upang maiwasang maulit ang ganitong mga gawain. “Our goal is not only punitive, but also preventive. We do it through reforms in our legislation,” aniya. Kabilang dito ang:
Amyenda sa R.A. 4566, na inamyendahan ng P.D. No. 1746 o Contractors’ License Law, upang gawing permanente at ganap ang pagbabawal sa mga blacklisted contractors na sangkot sa ghost at substandard projects, at mas mataas na parusa para sa conflicts of interest na dulot ng magkakaugnay na posisyon sa iisang industriya o negosyo;
Amyenda para taasan ang parusa sa conflicts of interest, lalo na sa mga opisyal at empleyado ng gobyerno na kumikilos din bilang kontratista sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees);
Mga inisyatiba para sa transparency sa proseso ng budget at dagdag na pananagutan sa pagpaplano at pagbuo ng infrastructure projects. Kung walang detailed architectural and engineering design (DAED), hindi dapat pondohan ang proyekto. Dapat ding ilathala ng DPWH ang DAED, Program of Works, at Detailed Unit Price Analysis (DUPA).
Samantala, hinimok ni Lacson ang taumbayan na magsalita at huwag mawalan ng pag-asa, dahil ang pagiging negatibo ay “lalo lamang nagpapalakas ng loob ng mga nagnakaw ng pinaghirapang buwis ng taumbayan.”
“Mr. President, these people have reduced the lives of our flood-stricken countrymen into living hell. It is time to give them what they rightly deserve,” pagtatapos ni Lacson.
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