THREE UST system alumni are among those linked to flood control projects, as investigations in Congress continue to uncover anomalies.
Among them are former Senate majority leader Joel Villanueva and former House appropriations chair Zaldy Co, who have been tagged in projects worth billions of pesos.
Wealthy contractors Sarah and Pacifico Discaya, who have nine construction firms under their names, have raked in ₱31 billion in projects and told lawmakers they gave some legislators up to 30 percent of the budget allocated for flood control projects.
READ: Discayas tag legislators in flood control scam | The Varsitarian
During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., called out government officials tagged in corrupt practices surrounding flood control projects. This was after a series of typhoons hit the country and caused massive flooding.
READ: ‘Mahiya naman kayo’: BBM slams corruption in flood control | The Varsitarian
Villanueva was tagged by former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, who told a House probe that senators were involved in the fiasco, while Co was named in the Discayas’ sworn statement submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Emmanuel “Joel” Villanueva
Villanueva graduated with a degree in commerce in 1996, with a specialization in economics. While at the University, he played for the men’s basketball team in UAAP Seasons 56 to 57, winning back-to-back championships.
Villanueva entered politics in 2001 as partylist representative for Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption, and served as director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in 2010.
In 2016, Villanueva won a Senate seat and six years later became Senate majority leader, a post he held until Sept. 8, when the chamber saw a leadership shakeup.
Hernandez, a former assistant engineer from the Bulacan engineering office, told House members that Villanueva was involved in anomalous flood control projects in 2023, particularly in Balagtas and his hometown of Bocaue.
Hernandez claimed Villanueva accepted P600 million in flood control funds, with a 30% kickback as part of the scheme.
He also said the delivery of kickbacks was arranged by Bulacan provincial engineer Henry Alcantara and allegedly delivered to Villanueva’s residence.
Villanueva strongly denied the accusations, calling the allegations a “demolition job,” and said he would present “receipts” to prove his innocence.
Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co
Co earned a master’s degree in business administration in 1998 from Aquinas University, now known as the University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi.
His political career started in 2019 as a representative of the Ako Bicol partylist. He became chair of the House Committee on Appropriations in 2025, prior to May 2025 midterm elections.
The appropriations committee oversees the management of the national budget and allocates funds to government offices.
The lawmaker was mentioned in the sworn statement of the Discayas, who claimed Co demanded a 25% kickback for the approval of projects.
Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco also accused Co of proposing P13.8 billion in insertions in the 2025 national budget, with most of the funds allegedly allocated for flood control projects.
Co is said to be an incorporator of the construction firm Sunwest Inc., which allegedly received P10.14 billion from 79 flood control projects.
Several congressional districts, including Abra, Bukidnon, Sarangani and Oriental Mindoro, received unusually large budget increases, some earmarked for flood control projects, despite local officials saying they never requested such funds.
Co denied the allegations of kickbacks and budget insertions, stressing that the budget required approval from the House, Senate and the president.
As of press time, Co is seeking medical treatment in the United States, sidestepping invitations from the House to attend hearings.
Henry Alcantara
Alcantara graduated from the UST Faculty of Engineering in 1994 and entered the Department of Public Works and Highways in 1996, rising through the ranks to become district engineer for the first district of Bulacan in 2019.
On Sept. 4, Alcantara was dismissed from office amid investigations into overpriced and ghost projects in the province, which recorded the highest number of flood control projects, according to the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website.
The dismissal also carried perpetual disqualification from holding public office and forfeiture of retirement benefits.
Alcantara admitted to signing a certificate of completion for a ₱55-million flood control project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan, which later turned out to be a ghost project — a project that was paid for but never completed nor existed.
Anomalous projects were also found in Calumpit worth ₱99.6 million, awarded to the Discaya-controlled St. Timothy Construction Corp.
Some lawmakers and legal experts noted that with at least ₱55 million involved in a single project, Alcantara could face a plunder charge.
Alcantara denied being the “kingpin” of the alleged ghost flood control projects and said he would contest all accusations.
He maintained his innocence and vowed to cooperate with the investigations. Luis Angelo N. Palma
