A Department of Public Works and Highways Mimaropa (DPWH 4B) official at large in the Oriental Mindoro flood control case was last seen in Israel, according to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
Although CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II did not name him, the last DPWH 4B official who has yet to be taken under government custody among those identified in warrants issued by the Sandiganbayan is materials engineer Timojen Adiong Sacar.
Asked about Sacar’s last known location, in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday, Morico answered, ‘He’s in Israel. That’s our last information.’
Has Sacar already reached out to the police? The CIDG director said, ‘Not yet, but we have efforts because we have police attachés there. The Chief PNP has already directed the police attachés.’
Sacar, nine of his fellow DPWH 4B officials, five Sunwest Incorporated executives and former House appropriations chair and resigned Rep. Zaldy Co are accused of graft and malversation over an allegedly anomalous P289.5-million road dike project in Oriental Mindoro.
Sunwest is a construction firm with links to Co.
Last week, the nine DPWH 4B officials – except Sacar – were taken into government custody:
Regional Director Gerald A. Pacanan
Assistant Regional Director Gene Ryan Alurin Altea
Assistant Regional Director Ruben delos Santos Santos Jr.
Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division officer-in-charge Dennis Pelo Abagon
Maintenance Division chief Juliet Cabungan Calvo
Construction Division chief Dominic Gregorio Serrano
Planning and Design Division officer-in-charge Montrexis Tordecilla Tamayo
project engineer Felisardo Sevare Casuno; and
Bidding and Awards Committee accountant Lerma Dotado Cayco
Co as well as Sunwest President Aderma Alcazar and Sunwest Treasurer Cesar Buenaventura were also still abroad, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla previously said.
‘We’re closely coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration. We hope they come back because I think there is an effort also coming from the government to cancel their passports,’ Morico said.
Meanwhile, Sunwest directors Consuelo Aldon, Noel Cao and Anthony Ngo were still being tracked down in the Philippines, the CIDG director noted.