DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office engineer Carlo Rivera testified before the Sandiganbayan Third Division that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was not among those who proposed flood control projects in Bulacan linked to an alleged P5-billion kickback scheme.

In the report of RH Val Gonzales, during the hearing on Romualdez’s bail petition, Rivera said he handed the alleged P5-billion commitment fees from contractors to former district engineer Henry Alcantara, who later forwarded the money to former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co for distribution to project proponents.

Rivera identified DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, a senator, and a former senator among those allegedly involved. He also testified that collections from several contractors ran into billions of pesos from 2022 to 2025.

The Sandiganbayan Third Division scheduled the next hearing on Romualdez’s bail petition for November 12.