Zaldy Co, 17 others face criminal raps over Mindoro flood control scam

National

THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against resigned Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co and at least 17 others over alleged irregularities in a P289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

ICI chair and retired Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr. personally handed over the body’s interim report to the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, outlining possible charges of graft, malversation, falsification of documents, and procurement law violations, a Philstar report stated.

The report, bundled into several thick folders, contained findings from weeks of investigation but Reyes declined to give further comments to the press.

The commission said the Ombudsman now holds the discretion to determine which cases to pursue, but emphasized that its findings point to “unwarranted benefits” allegedly received by Co in connection with Sunwest Inc., a construction firm that had bagged multiple government projects. While Co claimed to have divested from the company, the ICI said records suggest he may still retain beneficial ownership.

Administrative charges were also recommended for violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, as well as possible breaches of civil service rules. ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said the panel is still reviewing evidence to establish the depth of Co’s ties to Sunwest, which he co-founded in the 1990s.

The report also highlighted discrepancies in the flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. According to the commission, the steel sheet piles used for the road dike measured only 2.5 to 3 meters, far below the 12-meter specification in the original engineering design.

The ICI also flagged irregularities in progress billings, citing duplicate photographs and missing documentation that had nonetheless been approved by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B office.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, for his part, confirmed that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will summon 17 lawmakers named in testimonies by whistleblowers Sarah and Curlee Discaya, who earlier exposed alleged collusion in awarding anomalous projects.

Remulla warned that if the legislators refuse to appear, subpoenas will follow.

The House members on the list include Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, Quezon City Reps. Patrick Michael Vargas, Arjo Atayde, Reynante Arrogancia, Marvin Rillo, and Marivic Co Pilar, as well as lawmakers from Bulacan, Marikina, Romblon, Laguna, Aklan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Occidental Mindoro, and various party-list groups.

ICI’s report further linked Sunwest’s current board members — president Aderma Angelie Alcazar and directors Consuelo Aldon, Cesar Buenaventura, Noel Cao, and Anthony Ngo — to potential conspiracy in the implementation of questionable projects.

The commission noted that additional evidence is required before formal cases may be pursued against the firm’s officers.(Ma. Victoria Diana, USJ-R Comm Intern)