Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who has been linked to alleged irregularities in flood control projects, previously served as City Engineer of Manila under then-Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
Testimony before the House Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday revealed Bernardo’s long professional ties with Engineer Henry Alcantara, the district engineer accused of orchestrating fund deliveries in Bulacan.
Former DPWH Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez said Bernardo and Alcantara had worked together as early as 1997 in Los Baños, Laguna. They had also worked at Manila City Hall during Estrada’s mayoralty.
According to the DPWH website, Estrada tapped Bernardo in 2013 to serve as OIC-City Engineer on secondment status.
Hernandez also claimed that Bernardo and Alcantara were connected to Estrada’s son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada: “There was a time nag-birthday po si Senator Jinggoy Estrada sa Solaire, umattend po siya (Engineer Alcantara).”
In a statement, Senator Estrada “categorically and vehemently” denied the allegation of former DPWH district engineer Brice Hernandez that he was linked to the alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
“I categorically and vehemently deny the claims made by Brice Hernandez. I challenge him. LET US TAKE A LIE DETECTOR TEST before the public para malaman ng lahat kung sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hernandez described Alcantara as a dominant figure in the DPWH Bulacan district, someone who demanded absolute obedience from subordinates.
“Inaamin ko po na sunud-sunuran po ako kay Engineer Henry Alcantara, lahat po sumusunod sa kanya,” he testified.
He recounted how Alcantara consolidated power after arriving in 2019 by sidelining those who resisted. One senior official, Engineer Dalmacio Cruz, was “floated” after refusing directives and later opted for early retirement.
Similar cases followed, Hernandez said, pointing to a colleague stripped of projects in 2022 and 2023 for refusing to sign off on plans that were believed to be problematic. The engineer was reduced to clocking in on an 8-to-5 schedule without assignments.
