Three divisions of the Sandiganbayan have issued arrest warrants and hold departure orders (HDOs) against former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and 15 others in connection with graft and malversation cases linked to the substandard P289.5M river dike project in Oriental Mindoro.
In a document released by the anti-graft court on Friday, the Sandiganbayan Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Divisions issued the arrest warrants against Co and the following Department of Public Works and Highways officials and private individuals:
Gerald A. Pacanan (Regional Director, Department of Public Works and Highways – Region IV-B / Mimaropa)
Gene Ryan Alurin Altea (Assistant Regional Director, DPWH Region IV-B, now Director of DPWH Bureau of Maintenance)
Ruben Delos Santos Santos, Jr. (Assistant Regional Director, DPWH Region IV-B)
Dominic Gregorio Serrano (Chief, Construction Division, DPWH Region IV-B)
Juliet Cabungan Calvo (Chief, Maintenance Division, DPWH Region IV-B)
Dennis Pelo Abagon (OIC-Chief, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division; Regular Member, Bidding and Awards Committee, now OIC-Chief, Planning and Design Division, DPWH Region IV-B)
Montrexis Tordecilla Tamayo (OIC-Chief, Planning and Design Division, DPWH Region IV-B)
Lerma Dotado Cayco (Accountant IV, Bidding and Awards Committee, DPWH Region IV-B)
Felisardo Sevare Casuno (Project Engineer III, DPWH Region IV-B)
Timojen Adiong Sacar (Material Engineer, DPWH Region IV-B)
Private Individuals
Aderma Angelie D. Alcazar (President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sunwest, Inc.)
Cesar X. Buenaventura (Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors, Sunwest, Inc.)
Consuelo Dayto Aldon (Member of the Board of Directors, Sunwest, Inc.)
Engr. Noel Yap Cao (Member of the Board of Directors, Sunwest, Inc.)
Anthony L. Ngo (Member of the Board of Directors, Sunwest, Inc.)
Currently, 16 individuals, including Co, have an existing warrant of arrest.
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure initially recommended filing charges against Co and 17 others.However, two of those recommended to be charged – Grace D. Lopez, a regular member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), and Friedrich Karl Camero, BAC vice chairperson – were not included in the issuance of arrest warrants by the Sandiganbayan.
It was President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who announced that warrants of arrest are already out against Co and 15 others.
This move was welcomed by the Office of the Ombudsman, as it urged law enforcement agencies to immediately execute the arrest warrants.
In response, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is ‘working closely’ with the Sandiganbayan to enforce the orders.