JANUARY 19, 2026 — Former DPWH secretary Manuel M. Bonoan didn’t just return from a foreign trip last Sunday, Jan. 18 — he came home to a bombshell. The Department of Justice confirmed that Bonoan is now facing a plunder charge as co‑respondent of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, tied to alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

DOJ spokesperson Raphael Niccolo L. Martinez revealed the complaint filed by the NBI, saying, “The complaint for Plunder is not localized to a single project or locality. It encompasses allegations of acquisition of ill‑gotten wealth of more than P50 million through a combination and/or series of several transactions.”

That’s no small figure. Under Republic Act No. 7080, the Anti‑Plunder Act, any public officer who amasses at least ₱50 million in ill‑gotten wealth faces reclusion perpetua. The law also mandates that all assets proven to be ill‑gotten are forfeited in favor of the State.

Bonoan left for the U.S. last November 11 to accompany his wife for a medical procedure. He promised to return by Dec. 17, but failed to do so. His eventual arrival last Sunday was immediately reported to DOJ Acting Secretary Fredderick A. Vida.

So what happens next? 

Martinez said the DOJ will form a panel of prosecutors to conduct a preliminary investigation. Bonoan and Estrada will then be subpoenaed to file their counter‑affidavits.

This case could test whether plunder charges finally stick — or whether it’s just another headline in the endless saga of political survival. 

Will this investigation break the cycle, or will it fade into the background like so many scandals before it? Will we finally see ‘big fish’ behind bars?

(Image: Senate of the Philippines | Facebook)