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The Anti-Money Laundering Council secured a third freeze order against individuals tied to flood control controversy, building on two earlier directives and collectively paralyzing 1,563 bank accounts, 54 insurance policies, 154 vehicles, 30 properties and 12 e-wallets.

The third order, granted by the Court of Appeals on Sept. 30, covered 836 bank accounts, 12 e-wallets, 24 insurance policies, 81 motor vehicles and 12 real estate properties, marking the most extensive asset freeze since the probe began.

‘By freezing a wide range of assets-such as bank accounts, e-wallets, vehicles, and properties-the AMLC is disrupting the financial channels used in corrupt activities,’ said AMLC Executive Director Matthew M. David.

‘Our goal is straightforward: prevent stolen public funds from being dissipated and misused, recover them for the National Government, and ensure that those involved in money laundering are held accountable,’ David added.

The contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cazarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya are now ‘financially constrained,’ as all of their bank accounts have been frozen, their lawyer, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, said on Tuesday.

Samaniego bared this in an ambush interview at the office of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) when asked if the Discayas will also surrender luxury cars to the commission, just like what former Department of Public Works and Highways-Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez did when he previously attended a hearing.

‘We won’t be returning anything because the account has already been frozen,’ Samaniego said. ‘So we haven’t discussed that yet.’

‘They are financially constrained now. Their bank accounts have been frozen. All their bank accounts have been frozen,’ he emphasized.

The contractor couple attended the hearing of the ICI on the flood control anomalies for the first time on Tuesday.

Samaniego said the Discayas gave ‘tell-all’ testimonies during the proceeding, adding that they will return at the ICI next week to also serve as resource persons.

When asked if the real properties of the Discayas were also frozen, the lawyer said they have no idea about these movements yet.

Earlier, the Anti-Money Laundering Council said it has already frozen the bank accounts of individuals linked to corruption complaints in connection with the questionable flood control projects.

Curlee also mentioned the status of their bank accounts at a recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing. /apl

Oxford-Everything, everywhere, all at once. That’s how I felt shortly before heading out of the country again for yet another academic engagement. Barely a week after returning to the country following my visiting scholar stint in Canada, where I met senior policymakers, academics, and community members from across the country, I headed out to the United Kingdom to further hone my public policy analysis under a Jardine scholarship at the University of Oxford. Thanks to the generous (and highly competitive) scholarship and the impeccable academic environment at Oxford, I looked forward to finally carving out some time to fully focus on research, deep writing, and, overall, to embracing a measure of scholarly solitude.

Truth be told, my mind was tethered to developments back home, especially after an intense week that started with covering the historic ‘Trillion Peso March’ and, over the following days, holding long conversations with leading experts and citizens of the country. In fact, just before I flew out of the country, I hosted a quadrilateral episode for my ‘Deep Dive’ podcast with former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, a titan of our West Philippine Sea struggle; former Associate Justice Adolf Azcuna, a leading jurist who helped frame both the 1973 and 1987 Constitutions; and former Political Affairs Secretary Ronald Llamas, a rockstar pundit and a beating heart of social democracy in the Philippines. At the core of our discussions was a singular question: Are we peering into the abyss?

Just as I warned earlier this month (see ‘Fighting corruption: Brazil’s hard lessons,’ 9/16/25), comparative politics in developing democracies shows that anticorruption investigations tend to become polarizing, politicized, and ultimately destabilizing. This is especially the case if institutions are weak, clowns and crooks dominate elected offices, and the public is fed up with continuous cycles of corruption and misgovernance. As dramatic as it has been, the revamp in the government-starting from the change of leadership in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the comprehensive purge of top leaders in the Department of Public Works and Highways-is far from sufficient. People are asking for blood, and heads have to roll. To begin with, the people’s outrage is palpable. From journalist Kara David to celebrities, such as Vice Ganda, prominent personalities are openly calling for the literal demise of corrupt officials or the reinstatement of the death penalty: ‘Sana mamatay sila!’ ‘Bring back the death penalty for corrupt officials. Jail even their families.’

Moreover, there seems to be no center of gravity, nor a clear road map. It’s far from certain where and how far President Marcos is willing to take his newly found anticorruption crusade when corruption is so endemic and could reach the highest echelons of power.

To put things into perspective, Sen. Panfilo Lacson has claimed that almost all senators, with the notable exception of principled progressives such as Sen. Risa Hontiveros, made shady insertions in the previous fiscal year. ‘It was humongous . I have never seen such amounts,’ the current chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee claimed, referring to at least P100 billion in de facto pork barrel funds.

Just like Brazil in the mid-2010s amid the ‘Operation Carwash’ corruption scandal, we might end up with the collapse of the entire political center. And this brings us to the third factor, namely the vultures circling and ready to destabilize and dismantle our democracy altogether.

The riots in Mendiola by unidentified elements are just the tip of the iceberg. ‘If only Sara Duterte were not the Vice President, you guys would have taken over,’ an administration ally shared in a closed-door meeting. He was referring to rumors of a possible coup. No less than Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manny Mogato referred to an ‘attempt to unseat’ the President, with ‘a large Christian-denomination sect [meeting] with a top Army commander days before the protest’ to trigger an en masse defection in the barracks on the back of the massive anticorruption protest on Sept. 21. In fairness, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has vehemently rejected the rumors, which are yet to be substantiated.

What is clear, however, is that the next ‘Trillion Peso March’ may turn less peaceful if the chief perpetrators continue to enjoy impunity and the notorious Discayas are given de facto immunity under a witness protection program. Criminal liability is what people are demanding beyond the seeming theatrics of hearings and investigations.

Anxiety lingered in Barangay Nahapay of Guimbal town in Iloilo, even after Severe Tropical Storm ‘Opong’ had left the country, as residents fear that a P18.5-million slope protection project along their riverbank may collapse.

Villagers first alerted the municipal government on Sept. 12, when some 30 meters of the structure started eroding. Days later, rains from the southwest monsoon, intensified by Opong, deepened the damage.

‘The cracks keep spreading, and we feel unsafe because the concrete continues to give way even without rain,’ a resident told reporters.

The 43-meter-long structure, completed in May 2016 and turned over to the local government the following year, has shown cracks since 2024, according to residents.

Residents, who requested not to be named, said the municipal engineer’s office has patched the dike at least three times using local funds, fueling doubts about the project’s quality.

To review

Rep. Janette Garin (Iloilo, 1st District) vowed to push for a review and determine if the project falls under Project NOAH, the science-based disaster risk reduction program set up during the administration of the late President Benigno Simeon ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III, unfunded by former President Rodrigo Duterte and is now managed by the University of the Philippines.

‘I will make representation so that funding for rehabilitation can be prioritized since budget deliberations are ongoing,’ Garin said over the weekend.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Iloilo First District Engineering Office estimated that P8 million to P10 million is needed for full rehabilitation, but promised preventive measures to avert further collapse.

Roprim Construction, which built the project, has distanced itself, citing the expiry of the government’s five-year warranty period.

‘We complied with DPWH standards, and the structure has stood for nearly 10 years, enduring multiple storms and floods,’ said company manager Ron Primaylon when sought for comment.

For now, both DPWH and the Guimbal Municipal Engineer’s Office said they are coordinating on stopgap measures while waiting for rehabilitation funds. INQ

After nearly two decades together, Hollywood couple Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have separated, despite the former’s effort to save their marriage, according to US media reports.

TMZ reported, citing close sources, that the pair had been living apart since early summer. Urban has spent much of the year on tour, while Kidman has been in London filming ‘Practical Magic 2.’

The outlet reported that Kidman has been taking care of their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, stating, ‘Holding the family together through this difficult time since Keith has been gone.’

‘Keith has acquired his own residence in Nashville and has moved out of their family home,’ continued the outlet, with other reports stating that the actress has leaned heavily on her sister, Antonia, for support throughout the difficult months.

Multiple media outlets, including People magazine, also reported that the ‘Moulin Rouge!’ actress didn’t want the separation and had been fighting to save the marriage.

Kidman and Urban first met in 2005 at the G’Day USA gala in Los Angeles. They tied the knot in June the following year in a church ceremony in Sydney, Australia.

Back in June, Kidman celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary with a black-and-white photograph of herself cuddling up to Urban, captioning the Instagram post, ‘Happy Anniversary Baby.’

Kidman was previously married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001, during which time they adopted two children, Bella and Connor.

Kidman is known for her award-winning performances in ‘The Hours,’ ‘Eyes Wide Shut,’ ‘The Others,’ ‘Practical Magic,’ and in television series such as ‘Big Little Lies.’

Urban, meanwhile, is recognized for his hits like ‘Somebody Like You’ and ‘Blue Ain’t Your Color.’ He is a multiple Grammy Award winner, a regular award recipient from the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music, and has served as a judge on ‘American Idol.’ /ra

For the longest time, Ogie Alcasid’s monthly listeners on Spotify never went beyond 500,000. And for the longest time, he wondered how he could grow that number, knowing that his core audience-the fans who grew up with him and are now in their middle age-aren’t typically active music streamers.

The answer was obvious: court a young crowd.

He wrote new songs with more contemporary production, like ‘IN LAB,’ an alternative-pop track stylized in casual, all-caps in its title to project a more hip aesthetic. He stayed active on social media, posting lighthearted clips and hopping on dance trends. He continued visiting schools to teach songwriting and reach out to the students. He put out ‘Ulit,’ an EP of reimagined old hits, which did well, but still appealed mostly to his market.

The answer was obvious: court a young crowd. He wrote new songs with more contemporary production. e continued visiting schools to teach songwriting and reach out to the students.

But in the end, the formula for virality has yet to be cracked, and an artist can only do so much with strategy. If there’s one thing we have seen time and time again in the streaming era, it’s that sometimes, a track will blow up when least expected, and for a confluence of reasons that are quite hard to pin down.

Such was the case with ‘Nandito Ako’-Alcasid’s first major hit written by Aaron Paul del Rosario and released in 1989-which recently saw a massive resurgence after a live cover by Rob Deniel went viral.

The viral trigger

Last January, at the 10th Wish Music Awards, Alcasid was honored as an Icon of Music Excellence. And as part of the tribute, Deniel-one of today’s Gen Z artists leading the OPM charge-took the stage and delivered an impassioned rendition of the Alcasid hits ‘Ikaw Sana’ and ‘Nandito Ako.’

Alcasid was impressed. He accepted the award, gave a speech, and went on his way, thinking not much of it afterward. The crowd, at the time, felt similarly. But roughly seven months later, the performance exploded online, catching Alcasid completely by surprise.

Reaction videos and covers by other singers further fueled the hype. Before long, his monthly listeners had swelled to well over three million. The official performance video has 40 million views on YouTube. And as of this writing, the song remains in the Top 50 of Spotify Philippines’ Daily Top Songs chart, where it peaked at number 23.

‘Rob’s fans liked the song, but since he doesn’t have a recording of that, they ended up on my Spotify page instead.They had no choice!’ Alcasid says in a recent group interview, including Lifestyle Inquirer. ‘Surprisingly, this came at a time when I was trying to grow my listenership.’

That the performance’s impact took more than half a year to be felt remains a mystery-perhaps the timing simply wasn’t right, the algorithm failed to pick it up, the public wasn’t in the mood for it, or it didn’t immediately reach the ears of a big name influencer.

But here’s something hard to argue with: quality transcends. ‘Nandito Ako’ is a beautiful ballad-and without that simple fact-no amount of luck or outside variables could have propelled it. And in the hands of a talented artist currently making waves like Deniel, a resurgence was always just a matter of time.

Learning from the young

This phenomenon also confirmed what Alcasid has believed all along: that even music icons like him have just as much to gain and learn from rising talents as the other way around. In fact, he shares, it was young stars Maki and Angela Ken who helped him make sense of why ‘Nandito Ako’ became a new old hit.

‘Maki told me that young people these days actually love emo songs,’ Alcasid shares. ‘And that they find our contrasting interpretations interesting: that when they listen to Rob’s take, they feel a sense of yearning, and when they listen to mine, they feel security and reassurance. It’s all very fascinating, and I love that I’m learning from them.’

As for himself, he has been having a kick at revisiting the original version. ‘My vibrato was faster and my singing was more carefree. Now it’s airier,’ says Alcasid, who has always held the song dear, has made it the final song in most of his shows.

‘My vibrato was faster and my singing was more carefree. Now it’s airier,’ says Alcasid

Ogie Alcasid. Contributed photo

It’s worth noting, though, that the song’s enduring popularity is no accident. ‘Nandito Ako’ has had multiple, high-profile revivals over the decades, most notably by Lea Salonga in 1993, Thalia in 1997, and David Archuleta in 2012. But unlike sales, radio airplay, and media hype, today’s success metrics-by way of streaming-are more transparent and immediate, making it easier to gauge a song’s reach.

Alcasid and Deniel are wisely following this momentum. Deniel recently recorded ‘Ikaw Sana,’ while Alcasid himself plans to re-record ‘Nandito Ako,’ this time with string instrumentation. ‘Rob and I performed together in ‘It’s Showtime.’ He’s a better singer, I should say. But really, I’m just happy that someone so influential among young people appreciates the music we do,’ he says.

A catalog-wide effect

The ‘Nandito Ako’ hype inevitably rubbed off on the rest of Ogie Alcasid’s formidable discography, leading young fans to discover the classics he actually wrote, like ‘Sa Kanya,’ ‘Kung Mawawala Ka,’ and the duet ‘Hanggang Ngayon.’ Now, even his other hits are gaining steam across the board.

Last month, on the variety show ‘ASAP,’ Kai Montinola, another promising young talent, convinced Alcasid to sing a duet of ‘Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang.’ It became another viral moment-maybe not to the same magnitude as ‘Nandito Ako,’ but no less thrilling for Alcasid, who’s embracing his newfound visibility among Gen Z.

‘I’m thankful for all these young people starting to discover and recognize my music. I’m humbled and shocked,’ he says.

‘I’m thankful for all these young people starting to discover and recognize my music. I’m humbled and shocked

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‘

Where this wave will lead him, Alcasid isn’t sure yet. But what’s certain, he says, is that what happened has only inspired him to keep writing new music, find new ways to reach listeners, and avoid relying on the legacy of his old hits. He wants to continue keeping his finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the industry, and on emerging artists moving the needle and keeping local music alive.

‘I want to do new projects using my classic hits. I’m more open than ever to collaborating with young artists,’ he says. ‘And I hope to see more of my old songs come to life again.’

The Court of Appeals (CA) has denied the motion for reconsideration filed by TAPE Inc. in the Eat Bulaga copyright infringement lawsuit filed by TV hosts Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (TVJ) against the production company.

The CA affirmed that the trio owns the copyright of the audiovisual recordings and jingles of Eat Bulaga, which the company used without consent. The appeals court also ordered TAPE to pay damages and attorney’s fees totaling P3 million.

‘For having determined that TAPE committed unfair competition and copyright infringement, we sustain the RTC’s award in favor of TVJ, et al. the following amounts of PHP 2,000,000.00 as temperate damages, PHP 500,000.00 as exemplary damages, and PHP 500,000.00 as attorney’s fees pursuant to Sections 156.1 and 216.1 of the Intellectual Property Code as well as Article 2208(1)6 of the New Civil Code,’ a part of the decision read.

Senate President Tito also spoke about the ruling in a statement released by his office. ‘The decision upholds the earlier ruling recognizing TVJ as the copyright owners of the materials in question.’

The Intellectual Property Office (IPOPhl) favored TVJ in December 2023 and dismissed the trademark registration of TAPE for the names ‘Eat Bulaga’ and ‘EB.’

The following month, TVJ won their copyright infringement and unfair competition case against TAPE after the Marikina City Regional Trial Court ruled in favor of the trio

American actor Josh Hartnett was briefly hospitalized after he and his driver were involved in a two-vehicle collision in St. John’s in Canada.

According to multiple foreign outlets, Hartnett, who was in St. John’s for the filming of an untitled Netflix series, was on his way home from the set when the accident happened last Sept. 25. The sports utility vehicle Hartnett was in reportedly collided with a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) patrol car.

The actor and his driver, as well as the officer riding the patrol car, were then taken to the hospital after sustaining minor injuries.

‘RNC collision analysts are seeking any witnesses or video footage (CCTV, dash-camera, cell phone) from the area in the lead up to, or immediately following the collision,’ the RNC said.

Hartnett’s rep Susan Patricola told Deadline that the actor has been discharged and has already returned to work. She added that the incident did not affect the show production.

Hartnett is best known for starring in the films ‘The Virgin Suicides’ (1999), ‘Black Hawk Down’ (2001), ‘Sin City’ (2005) and ’30 Days of Night’ (2007). His recent movie stints include ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023), ‘Trap’ (2024) and ‘Fight or Flight.’ /ra

When we hear of abaca, what often comes to mind is Manila envelope and Manila paper. But this humble crop, which is mostly cultivated in Catanduanes, Eastern Visayas, and Mindanao, may one day be our ticket to aerospace and space tourism.

Abaca is the source of the strongest natural fiber in the world, making it essential for ship ropes, filters, medical fabrics, textiles, special papers like banknotes, and other applications that require strength, durability, and water-resistance. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world was short of disposable face masks, abaca was utilized as a natural source of fiber, a contribution from the Philippines during those unprecedented times. As the largest abaca exporter in the world, we clearly had the advantage of its accessibility and opportunities to capitalize on it. My article was later featured by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority on their social media.

This special interest in abaca, which I developed during the pandemic, was amplified later on by my passion for surfing. I’ve visited almost every famous surfing spot in the country, except for Catanduanes.

As I read more about the surfing life in Catanduanes, came the undeniable facts and potentials about abaca. As an academic pharmacist, I’ve also thought of researching on the isolation and development of abaca cellulose fiber as a novel excipient in making medicines.

For example, a cellulose powder from abaca could be a binder to hold a tablet together, or a sustainable and alternative ingredient in making ‘veggie’ capsule shells. A lot of people don’t know that most shells that hold a capsule come from gelatin, which is derived from the collagen of cows or pigs, hence not suitable for vegetarians, vegans, or certain religious groups like Muslims.

Although these are just a few applications of abaca cellulose in pharmaceutical research, in the bigger picture, this could be our ticket to the new frontier.

The answer is simple: abaca is lightweight, natural, and sustainable. Today, the manufacturers of spacecraft (even aircraft) are pressured to reduce carbon emissions. Abaca fibers deliver high quality and strength without the burden of using metals, hence less fuel is burned. Most importantly, abaca is biodegradable and absorbs carbon dioxide while growing, which is a far greener option than petroleum-based synthetic fibers.

Today, companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic are racing to make suborbital flights routine. Imagine telling the whole world that the seats and panels inside a space vehicle carry fibers grown by the farmers in Catanduanes. It is both a poetic and practical vision: the Philippines being a supplier of natural materials for humanity’s journey beyond Earth.

Now, the challenge is, will the Philippines seize the chance to move up the value chain? For a very long time, our abaca has been exported raw and bought from our farmers at a low price by foreigners who then process it, sell it at a high price, and reap the margins.

If we invest in processing hubs, certification facilities, and research partnerships, we can export not just fiber but semi-finished products such as composite panels and specialty mats. That is where the real money is, and that is how rural communities progress.

To achieve this, interagency collaboration is important. Together with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippine Space Agency, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Tourism, along with local universities, we can create a national innovation pipeline: from farm-to-fiber-to-flight.

We are already known as the world’s capital of the strongest natural fiber. Let us take that seriously. We can make the Philippines a global leader in sustainable materials in the next frontier.

Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III on Monday night accepted the resignation of Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co as a member of the House of Representatives, while an investigative body formed by Malacañang asked the Ombudsman to look into its recommended charges against the lawmaker and 17 others, including some officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In his letter to Dy on Monday informing the speaker of his ‘irrevocable resignation,’ Co cited ‘the real, direct, grave and imminent threat’ to him as well as ‘the lives of my family members.’

Amid the unraveling scandal over the government’s flood control projects, Co has been accused of getting billions of pesos in kickbacks by contractors and DPWH officials testifying in congressional inquiries into these projects.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a blue notice on Co.

The notice practically allows surveillance on the lawmaker, since it serves to advise Interpol’s member states to ‘collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.’

Co, in his letter, lamented ‘the evident denial of my right to due process of law.’

Posting on Facebook, he said that, as a lawmaker, he had tried to work in the best interest of each Filipino, especially his constituents in the Bicol region.

He said his party list group will soon inform the House about his replacement.

‘Voluntary renunciation’

Lawmakers like Co are allowed ‘voluntary renunciation’ of his or her office, under Article VI of the 1987 Constitution regarding the legislative department.

Dy told reporters on Monday night that he had accepted Co’s resignation, but the House leadership ‘needs to discuss how to address this properly.’

He also advised the resigned lawmaker, who has been on an extended medical leave, to return home and answer the ‘issues’ against him.

Also on Monday, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) asked the Office of the Ombudsman to study whether charges may be filed against Co and 17 other officials of the DPWH and officers of Sunwest Inc. over a substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro worth P289.5 million.

Sunwest, which was cofounded by Co, was included in President Marcos’ list of 15 contractors that bagged most of the government’s flood control projects.

In its first interim report and recommendation submitted to the Ombudsman, the ICI cited deficiencies in the construction of a road dike along Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Barangay Tagumpay, Naujan town.

The project, funded through the 2024 General Appropriations Act, was implemented by the Mimaropa (Region 4-B, or Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) office of the DPWH.

According to the ICI, total disbursements for the project amounted to only P246.16 million-short of the estimated project cost by P43.3 million.

Among the ICI’s preliminary findings was that the materials used for the project ‘appear to be grossly substandard and not in line with required specifications.’

‘Discrepancy, losses’

The ICI noted further that when Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor inspected the project on Sept. 9, they found steel sheet piles used in the dike measuring 2.5 to 3 meters-less than the 12-meter-long sheet piles required in the approved plan for the project.

The ICI said ‘this discrepancy could potentially result in public losses estimated at over P63 million.’

The commission also found deficiencies in the project’s documentation, including progress billings, which ‘appear to have been paid despite the absence of material supporting documents.’

Moreover, documents such as Form No. 2307 and Form No. 2550M of the Bureau of Internal Revenue ‘do not appear to have been submitted by the contractor,’ Sunwest.

No certifications

The DPWH Mimaropa also failed to submit such documents as the certifications of clearance for the payment of labor, materials, equipment, and other costs, as well as certifications on quality control.

As the ICI noted, failure to submit these documents warrants administrative sanctions, based on the guidelines of the DPWH itself.

Progress photos depicting the construction of the dike ‘hardly justify or accurately depict the actual progress of the works,’ the commission said, adding that only two photographs were submitted for the first progress billing.

These consisted of ‘a dimly lit photograph of steel sheet piles and a photograph of workers supposedly engaged in ‘clearing and grubbing,” which was meant to show that 25 percent of the work had already been accomplished.

The ICI said further that what made the progress photos ‘all the more anomalous or suspect is that they were the very same photographs used in support of Progress Billing No. 2.’

‘Beneficial ownership’

Before the third progress billing, P35.134 million had been paid to Sunwest for supposedly completing 40 percent of the project, the ICI said.

The commission also said it had yet to receive any documents on the third progress billing, aside from photographs ‘concerning or justifying payment’ to the project.

The ICI identified Co as having ‘reportedly founded’ Sunwest in 1992, when the company was then called Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. (SCDC).

Although Co was said to have divested himself of SCDC in 2019, he ‘supposedly maintains ‘beneficial ownership’ in various entities linked to Sunwest,’ the ICI said, even as it noted that this finding still needed further validation.

The Ombudsman was also asked to consider if charges should be filed against Gerald Pacanan, former director of DPWH Mimaropa, and 16 other officials of the DPWH and officers of Sunwest, including company president Aderma Angelie Alcazar.

Possible charges include malversation and falsification under the Revised Penal Code and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Government Procurement Reform Act, and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees.

The ICI clarified that its findings remained preliminary ‘at this stage,’ adding that ‘it does not make categorical findings of guilt and responsibility for determining liability rests with the proper authorities.’ -With reports from Luisa Cabato, Zacarian Sarao, and Inquirer Research