Ombudsman: Raps vs Zaldy Co, DPWH execs out in 2 weeks

Criminal charges linked to the alleged flood control corruption scheme will be filed possibly within two weeks against former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Tuesday.

Remulla said the cases stem from the P289-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, which was flagged as either substandard or non-existent.

“Mauunang maifa-file ang kaso ni Zaldy Co at ‘yung mga opisyal ng DPWH Region 4B, pati na ang mga opisyal ng Sunwest,” Remulla said, referring to the contractor involved. He added that both his office and the Department of Justice are continuing parallel investigations into similar flood control projects.

When asked for a timeline, Remulla said: “Kung hindi this week, baka next week.”

The Palace-created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) earlier recommended filing graft, malversation, and falsification charges against Co and other DPWH officials over their alleged links to the P289.5 million road dike project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

“These circumstances may indicate lapses in project verification. Certifications by DPWH officials attesting to compliance with specifications and workmanship thus appear questionable and require further investigation,” the ICI said in its interim report on Co and DPWH Region 4B officials.

Remulla, meanwhile, said Co’s refusal to file a counter-affidavit on ICI’s allegations worked against the former lawmaker’s interests.

“We gave them a chance to respond, but we already know he left the country, refuses to return, and did not accept the subpoena. So the ICI’s referral is now up for resolution,” Remulla said.

“In his case, the project [in Oriental Mindoro] was not really completed. The contractor was already paid in full even though the project is yet to be finished…and it even appears substandard,” he added.

The Ombudsman also said Co’s previous defense—that he had divested from Sunwest, the contractor for the Oriental Mindoro flood control project—would not hold.

“We have a beneficiary interest. Even if you divest…you know, it’s easy to say you already divested, but if those assets went to your children or siblings, that is still considered a prohibited interest,” he said.

Co has yet to return to the country since being implicated in the flood control controversy.

His legal counsel, Ruy Rondain, earlier claimed that Remulla had already prejudged his client.

Remulla refuted this by saying the Ombudsman is a prosecutor, and not a judge.

"I am not a judge. We [in the Office of the Ombudsman] are not judges. We are here to investigate graft and corruption. This is our legal responsibility. ‘Prejudging’ is the wrong term because our job is to prosecute people," he said.

The Ombudsman added that Co could best prove his innocence by returning to the Philippines.

“If he is not at fault, then he should face the music,” Remulla said.—MCG, GMA Integrated News