The Department of Justice recommended plunder and graft cases against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan over the flood control corruption scandal.
The Office of the Ombudsman confirmed on Monday, May 18, 2026, that it received the DOJ resolution recommending the charges. The DOJ also recommended cases of direct bribery and corruption of public officials against Estrada, Bonoan, and several former DPWH officials.
The complaints against former undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Gerard Opulencia, and Henry Alcantara were dropped because they entered the witness protection program. The case against the late undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, who died in December 2025, was also removed.
The Ombudsman stated it will conduct its own review before deciding whether to file the cases in court. The DOJ had already secured a precautionary hold departure order against Estrada and Bonoan in February.
The investigation cited evidence from Senate hearings on November 14, 2025, detailing alleged 30 percent cuts in regional flood control projects.
