Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan has been released from detention after a court excluded him from plunder and graft charges tied to alleged irregularities in flood-control spending. He had spent about three months in custody before the order.
The anti-graft court’s ruling removed him as a defendant in that particular case, clearing the way for his release. Officials have indicated he is expected to serve as a witness in the wider investigation into the alleged scheme.
Bonoan still faces a separate graft case that allows for bail, so his legal situation is not fully resolved. The developments are part of a broader inquiry into how flood-control funds were handled.
The case has drawn significant public attention, given the amounts involved and the focus on how infrastructure money is spent. Investigators have been examining the roles of various officials connected to the projects.
Court decisions about who remains charged and who becomes a witness can shape the direction of large corruption cases. In this instance, the ruling shifted Bonoan’s status in the proceedings.
He is expected to cooperate with the continuing investigation, which remains one of the most closely followed cases in the country this year.
