Sens. Villanueva, Estrada deny kickback allegations; probe continues

Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada denied allegations of demanding kickbacks from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district engineers in Bulacan.

The Senate will unseal boxes of documents and computer files from former Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez on Monday, September 22, supporting his claims against lawmakers linked to flood-control anomalies.

Hernandez, who is detained at the Senate after being cited in contempt, accused Estrada and Villanueva of involvement in the controversy.

Estrada refuted claims of being involved in P355 million worth of flood control projects in Bulacan, questioning the credibility of his accuser.

Mina Elamparo-Jose of WJ Construction denied involvement in delivering kickbacks and explained her visit to the Senate was for a separate veranda repair project for Senator Erwin Tulfo's office.

Senator Tulfo criticized Jose for implicating his office and has since canceled all contracts with WJ Construction to distance himself from the controversy.

The blue ribbon panel, chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson, aims to preserve the chain of custody for the evidence, which may be presented at the next hearing on September 23.