ICI seeks charges vs. Co, 17 others over Mindoro flood control project

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has recommended the filing of the first set of charges against government and private personnel in a multimillion-peso questionable flood control project, including suspected principal beneficiary now former lawmaker Zaldy Co.

On Monday, Sept. 29, the ICI submitted to the Ombudsman its interim report on the P290-million substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro, contracted by Sunwest Inc., which has historical ties with Co. The lawmaker reportedly divested from the firm in 2019.

Sunwest is one of 15 contractors named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that secured the most number of projects in the last three years.

The ICI subject is the same Mindoro project flagged by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon when he visited the town on Sept. 9.

The commission said the installed steel sheet piles - which serve as foundation for the structure - measured only around 2.5 to three meters against the contract’s detailed engineering design that required 12 meters. It also noted “apparent deficiencies in documentation supporting progress billings” for the project.

“If applied across the project, this discrepancy could potentially result in public losses estimated at over ₱63 million,” the ICI said.

“Several payments were approved despite missing records and, in some instances, identical photographs were reused to justify separate billings. These circumstances may indicate lapses in project verification. Certifications by DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) officials attesting to compliance with specifications and workmanship thus appear questionable and require further investigation,” it added.

Included in the ICI charge list are other Sunwest officials, DPWH personnel from the Mimaropa region, and a number of members of the Bid and Awards committee.

The list named the following:

Zaldy Co - incumbent member of the House of Representatives, former chair of the House committee on appropriations

Gerald Pacanan Ceso III - regional director, DPWH MIMAROPA Region IV-B

Gene Ryan Altea - assistant regional director

Ruben Santos Jr. - assistant regional director

Dominic G. Serrano - chief, construction division; BAC chairperson

Felisardo Casuno - project engineer III

Timojen Sacar - materials engineer

Montrexis T. Tamayo - OIC-chief, planning and design division

Juliet Calvo - chief maintenance division

Dennis P. Abagon - OIC-chief, quality assurance and hydrology division; regular member, BAC

Lerma D. Cayco - accountant IV

Grace D. Lopez - regular member, BAC

Friedrich Karl Camero - vice chairperson, BAC

Aderma Angelie D. Salazar - president and chairman of the board of directors, Sunwest

Cesar X. Buenaventura - member, board of directors and treasurer, Sunwest

Consuelo Aldon - member, board of directors and treasurer, Sunwest

Engr. Noel Y. Cao - member, board of directors, Sunwest

Anthony L. Ngo - member, board of directors, Sunwest

The ICI said the possible criminal charges are violation to the anti-graft and corrupt practices act and the government procurement law, and malversation of public funds.

It said administrative complaints may also constitute violation to the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees and civil service rules and regulations.

The Department of Justice has earlier recommended the filing of criminal charges against Co and other lawmakers, following scathing revelations in the Senate blue ribbon inquiry that implicated the party-list representative in multi-million budget insertions and alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Co has denied the allegations and said he will respond at the proper time and forum.

He is seeking medical treatment in the United States, but the House of Representatives has revoked his travel authority and ordered him to return to the country.

The lawmaker resigned on Monday, Sept. 29, the last day that the House ordered him to be back, citing imminent threat to his life and his family members and what he called “evident denial of my right to due process of law.”