Sandiganbayan raffles off cases vs. Zaldy Co, others over flood control mess

The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday conducted a special raffle on the cases filed against former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 4B officials and Sunwest Construction in connection with the P289-million road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The Fifth Division, chaired by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses, will be handling the case for alleged violation of Section 3.e of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in reference to “causing any undue injury to any party, including the government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”

Other members of the Fifth Division are Associate Justices Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Gener Gito.

The Seventh Division chaired by  Associate Justice Loriefel Pahimna, on the other hand, will try the case for alleged violation of Section 3.h of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act about “directly or indirectly having financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.”

The other member of the Seventh Division is Associate Justice Georgina Hidalgo.

Each Sandiganbayan division is composed of three justices, meaning there is a vacancy in the Seventh Division. The anti-graft court, however, can assign a special member of division to fill in the vacancy.

The Sixth Division chaired by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, meanwhile, will handle the malversation charge.

Other members of the Sixth Division are Associate Justices Lord Villanueva and Kevin Vivero.

The Ombudsman filed the charges on Tuesday, marking the first filing of criminal raps against those allegedly involved in the flood control mess.

"This is the first of many cases," Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said.  —AOL, GMA Integrated News