November 23, 2025 | 2:28pm
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has placed all personnel at international airports and seaports nationwide on heightened alert following the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of arrest warrants on November 21 against former lawmaker Zaldy Co and 15 others.
In a statement on Sunday, November 23, Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said all individuals named in the anti-graft court’s warrants have been entered into the agency’s centralized derogatory database.
This enables immigration officers to immediately flag and verify anyone on the list if they attempt to enter or leave the Philippines.
“Once intercepted, our officers are under strict instruction to promptly coordinate with the Philippine National Police for the proper and lawful execution of the warrants,” Viado said.
According to BI travel records, four of the 16 individuals are currently outside the country.
The following departures have been recorded by the BI:
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Zaldy Co departed for Singapore on August 6.
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Montrexis Tamayo, officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Planning and Design Division, left for Qatar on November 15.
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Co-owned Sunwest Inc. President and Board Chairman Aderma Angelie Alcazar traveled to Australia on October 2.
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Sunwest Inc. treasurer Cesar Buenaventura flew to the United Arab Emirates on October 2.
On November 21, the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against Co and 15 others in connection with an alleged anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
Initially, 17 individuals were reportedly co-accused with Co. However, the anti-graft court did not issue warrants for two of them: Grace Lopez, a regular member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), and Friedrich Karl Camero, BAC vice chairperson.