Senator Mark Villar has denied allegations made by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo that he received kickbacks from government infrastructure projects.
During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the flood control mess on Friday, Bernardo implicated Villar, former Senator Grace Poe, and Education Secretary Sonny Angara in allegedly receiving commitments from DPWH projects.
Bernardo said that when he became an assistant secretary of the agency, former DPWH Undersecretary Cathy Cabral was already in service. He alleged that Villar supposedly received commitments from DPWH when he was still head of the agency.
‘The funding of all projects was cleared through Usec. Cabral for approval by Sec. Villar. From time to time, Usec. Cabral would ask me to submit a detailed list of projects regarding lump-sum fund allocations of DPWH, which she sometimes approves herself or forwards to Sec. Villar for approval,’ Bernardo said.
‘Among others, these include EDSA and other major road project applications, and maintenance of creeks and waterways. The commission from these approved projects was 10 percent and divided as follows: 50 percent to Carlo Aguilar, presumably for Sec. Mark Villar; 25 percent for Usec. Cabral; and 25 percent for myself,’ Bernardo added.
Villar said he stands by his ‘untarnished record’ as a former DPWH secretary, representative, and now a senator.
‘I vehemently and categorically deny the accusations made today in the Blue Ribbon Committee. Isa po itong malaking kasinungalingan (This is one big lie),’ Villar said in a statement on Friday.
Villar then asked the public ‘to be discerning and not to rush judgment based solely on a person’s affidavit, which may be manufactured or tailored to fit his or other people’s convenience.’