Several boxes were allegedly brought for former Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr., Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, and ex-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief Manuel Bonoan, a witness told the Sandiganbayan on Thursday.
Vergel Niño Garcia, a former driver and aide of state witness and ex-DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, made the revelation during the anti-graft court’s Third Division’s bail hearing for the malversation case of Revilla and several of his co-accused.
Revilla, Estrada, and Bonoan are respondents for plunder cases, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Garcia also said he allegedly delivered similar boxes and suitcases intended for late DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina ‘Cathy’ Cabral, former Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar, a certain ‘Carleen Villa,’ and a building in Manila.
This information was gleaned after a series of questions from Associate Justice Karl Miranda, who is the Third Division chairperson.
However, Garcia said he personally did not know that the ‘maleta’ and boxes contained cash, which he only learned when the investigation into flood control anomalies began.
During the deliveries, he told the court that the boxes were sealed and the suitcases were locked, and he did not open them.
It was also Bernardo who told Garcia that the boxes were intended for senators, DPWH officials, and other personalities.
Garcia said he delivered 12 boxes intended for Revilla in the ‘White House’ in Cavite in February 2025.
In November 2024, Garcia said he delivered 12 boxes intended for Estrada at the ‘Artiaga Building’ in San Juan. Garcia said he personally saw Estrada during the delivery.
For Bonoan, he said he delivered a total of 55 boxes: 15 boxes at a posh hotel in Manila in November 2024; 20 boxes at a certain location in March 2025; and another 20 boxes at a restaurant in Tomas Morato St. in Quezon City in June 2025. Garcia said these boxes were allegedly received by Bonoan’s driver, whom he identified as a certain ‘Joni.’
He also said he delivered boxes for Cabral twice in 2023: one paper bag in her residence in ‘Tatalon’ in Quezon City, and one ‘smaller’ box in the parking area of Quirino Grandstand, during which Cabral’s driver fetched the package while the late undersecretary was present during the transaction.
As for Olaivar, Garcia said the former DepEd official personally received the boxes and luggage from him. In total, Garcia said Olaivar has received 15 boxes and four pieces of luggage across three deliveries between 2023 and 2024.
Meanwhile, Garcia said that Villa received eight boxes from him personally in January 2025.
Garcia also said he delivered six boxes in a building in Manila ‘in first quarter of 2025.’ However, Garcia said Bernardo did not tell him for whom the delivery was.
Associate Justice Ronald Moreno asked Garcia: ‘Did you not wonder or worry that the boxes contain illegal items?’
‘No, your honor,’ Garcia said.
‘I trust that he would not put me in jeopardy,’ he said of Bernardo.
Inquirer has reached out to Bonoan and Estrada but has yet to respond as of posting time.