State witness and former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo on Wednesday testified before the Sandiganbayan that he never questioned the specifics of the millions of pesos he received from former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co.
Bernardo took the witness stand before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Wednesday where Co and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials face graft case stemming from an allegedly substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro’s Naujan town worth P289.4 million.
When asked whether the Naujan project was explicitly mentioned as the source of the commissions received, prosecutor Peter Jedd Boco said both parties had already stipulated or agreed that it was a fact.
The state witness then reiterated that he received a ‘balato’ or share from Co through Gerald Pacanan and Henry Alcantara, former DPWH district engineers of Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) and Bulacan, respectively.
Pacanan is among the co-accused in this graft case while also Alcantara became a state witness.
Last March, Bernardo already told the Sixth Division which handles the malversation case stemming from the same Naujan project that he received a P130-million ‘balato’ from Co.
At that time, Bernardo said the P100 million was obtained through Alcantara, while the P30 million was allegedly delivered by Pacanan’s aide and driver.
During the clarificatory questions of Associate Justice Maryann Corpus-Mañalac, Bernardo said he ‘assumed’ that Pacanan and Co have ‘dealings’ with each other, while Alcantara ‘informed’ him that he and the former lawmaker have ‘dealings’ with each other.
Bernardo did not directly respond when asked by Corpus-Mañalac about the source and reason behind the commission or ‘balato ing her questioning, Corpus-Mañalac asked: ‘You just keep on receiving? Without asking further questions?’
‘No questions, Your Honor,’ Bernardo responded.
During the trial, Bernardo also said he received P120 million ‘token of gratitude’ from Co from 2023 to 2025.
Of this amount, Bernardo said he recalls receiving from Co P45 million in 2023, P50 million in 2024, and P25 million in 2025.
This is aside from the aforementioned P30 million ‘balato,’ or P10 million each, given to him in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Bernardo previously said he would return P1 billion to the government as a condition to be admitted as a state witness.