Ex-DPWH Secretary Bonoan Dropped as Co-Accused in Plunder Case, Becomes State Witness

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has granted the Ombudsman’s motion to drop former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan from the plunder and graft charges before the court. The court ruled that the decision to remove a co-accused as a witness falls within the prosecutorial discretion. According to the court’s decision, "...THE DECISION TO MOVE FOR THE DISCHARGE OF AN ACCUSED IS PART OF THE OMBUDSMAN’S PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION OF WHO SHOULD BE USED AS A STATE WITNESS, TO BOLSTER THE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES…." Bonoan is co-accused of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and three others, who were charged by the Ombudsman in May for allegedly conspiring to amass more than P500 million in kickbacks from flood control projects. In June, the Ombudsman requested the Sandiganbayan to exclude Bonoan from the charge after the former secretary expressed his willingness to cooperate with the agency. The Ombudsman stated that Bonoan’s testimony is necessary to uncover the system behind the kickback scheme in the anomalous projects. "... HIS COOPERATION WAS INDISPENSABLE TO ‘UNCOVER THE ARCHITECTURE THAT MAY HAVE SET THE ENTIRE MACHINERY IN MOTION,” the Ombudsman’s resolution read. The court also cited that the Ombudsman is empowered under the law to grant immunity. "THE COURT IS LIKEWISE GUIDED BY THE FACT THAT THE OMBUDSMAN’S EXERCISE OF ITS POWER TO DIRECTLY GRANT IMMUNITY UNDER R.A. NO. 6770…," the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division stated. Estrada and Bonoan have not yet been arraigned by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division due to pending motions. However, the arraignment for Estrada has been set for September 3. This development is a significant step in the investigation into alleged corruption within large-scale infrastructure projects in the Philippines. With a former secretary turning state witness, the case could shed light on the systemic issues and individuals involved in the alleged kickback scheme. Corruption has been a persistent challenge in the Philippines, particularly in infrastructure development, which is crucial for economic growth, and public trust remains a key concern.