7 DPWH execs in flood control mess sent to QC jail

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the detention at the Quezon City jail of seven of the 16 accused in the graft and malversation cases involving the P289-million substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

The anti-graft court’s Fifth and Sixth Divisions issued commitment orders against the following accused:

• Gerald Pacanan, DPWH regional director
• Gene Ryan Altea, DPWH assistant regional director
• Ruben D.S. Santos, DPWH assistant regional director
• Dominic Serrano, DPWH construction division chief and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairperson
• Dennis Abagon, DPWH OIC-chief, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division, BAC regular member
• Felisardo Casuno, DPWH project engineer III
• Lerma Cayco, DPWH accountant IV

They will be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas, except for Cayco, who will be held at Camp Karingal, the Quezon City police headquarters.

Of the 16 accused, only former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co faces three charges: one count of malversation and two counts of graft. The remaining accused are facing one count of malversation and one count of graft each.

The remaining accused are facing one count of malversation and one count of graft each, except for DPWH Accountant Juliet Calvo, who is only facing a graft charge.

The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, handling the malversation case, ordered no bail for all the accused. Defendants in this case must first file a motion for bail with the court to request an amount.

Only if the Sandiganbayan approves the motion can an accused post bail and secure temporary release. The court will determine the amount of bail for malversation charges.

Graft charges, however, are bailable. Accused in graft cases can immediately post bail and secure temporary liberty.

Calvo, who is only facing a graft charge, posted bail before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division.

She posted P90,000 for allegedly violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits officials from causing undue harm to the government or giving unwarranted benefits to private parties through negligence or favoritism.

Arraignments for those charged with graft are set on November 27, while those in the malversation case will be arraigned on December 2. The arraignment is the court procedure where an accused enters a plea of either guilty or not guilty to the charges.

The criminal cases were filed by the Office of the Ombudsman on November 18—the first set of charges in connection with the flood control project.

Others yet to surrender include:

• Co, who is also former House appropriations panel chairperson
• Montrexis Tamayo, DPWH OIC-chief, Planning and Design Division
• Timojen Sacar, DPWH materials engineer
• Aderman Alcazar, president and board chair, Sunwest Construction
• Cesar Buenaventura, treasurer and board member, Sunwest Construction
• Consuelo Aldon, board member, Sunwest Construction
• Engr. Noel Yap Cao, board member, Sunwest Construction
• Anthony Ngo, board member, Sunwest Construction

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday morning urged the remaining accused to surrender.

“Sa mga natitira, sumuko na kayo (To the others, surrender now),” Marcos said in a statement.—MCG, GMA Integrated News