Metro Manila, Philippines – Three months since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to crack down on flood control anomalies, the ombudsman filed graft and malversation charges with the anti-graft court against former House appropriations chairman Zaldy Co – tagged as a principal suspect in the alleged multibillion-peso pocketing of public funds.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 18, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the cases stemmed from the recommendation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to file charges against the former lawmaker over a P290-million peso road dike, found substandard, in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
The ombudsman filed with the Sandiganbayan two counts of graft against Co for two supposed violations of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act, in particular receiving “unwarranted financial or pecuniary benefits” from flood control deals.
Clavano said the panel of ombudsman prosecutors recommended no bail for the malversation charge, as it exceeded the P8.8 million threshold under the law.
“The measured sheet pile did not meet the 12-meter specification. The material was substandard. It is highly possible that all other sheet piles in the project were also below specification. And these findings point to a scheme that resulted in unwarranted benefits, technical falsification, and misuse of public funds,” he said.
Also included in the charge sheet are a number of Department of Public Works and Highways officials in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Rombolon, and Palawan) and the board of directors of Sunwest Inc.
Clavano said the office has also asked the Sandiganbayan to issue an arrest warrant and a hold departure order against the respondents.
Co has been outside the country since the flood control mess blew up. He recently claimed in a video message supposed threats to his life.
The filing of cases came after the resigned lawmaker tagged Marcos into multi-billion peso insertions in the 2025 budget and kickbacks from flood control deals.
Clavano said this development is just the first among many cases to be filed in court.
“Public funds were meant to protect communities from flooding not to enrich officials or private contractors. Those responsible will be held to account,” he said.
