PNP, NBI serve arrest warrants vs. 3 Sunwest officials at Pasay hotel

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday attempted to serve arrest warrants against three officials of Sunwest Construction at a hotel in Pasay City.

In an ambush interview, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) head Police Colonel John  Guiagui said the following were the subject of the operation:

• Consuelo Dayto Adon, member of Sunwest’s Board of Directors 
• Anthony Li Ngo, member of Sunwest’s Board of Directors 
• Noel Yap Cao, member of Sunwest’s Board of Directors 

The PNP said they believed the three officials of Sunwest were hiding in the hotel.

“Unfortunately, wala sila dito but based on the information that we received yesterday is dito itinago and dito sila nag-cover as one of the employees,” Guiagui said.

(Unfortunately, they are not here but based on the information that we received yesterday, they are hiding here and they are covering up as one of the employees.)

“We have utilized more than 100 to include 'yung NBI to cover the 10 floors of (the) hotel and naging smooth naman ang pag-implement natin. We have searched room by room, floor by floor and unfortunately, wala tayong nakita,” he added.

(We have utilized more than 100 to include the NBI to cover the 10 floors of the hotel and our implementation has been smooth. We have searched room by room, floor by floor and unfortunately, we found nothing.)

According to the police official, Sunwest was allegedly a subsidiary owner of the hotel.

Guiagui said authorities cannot tell if the accused were able to exit the establishment.

He pointed out that the deployment of around 100 law enforcers for the operation was not an overkill considering that they have to search 10 floors of the hotel.

Authorities will look into more possible hideouts of the accused.

Guiagui noted that none of the accused Sunwest officials with arrest warrants have been captured so far. Some of them were reported to be outside the country.

“Itong Sunwest na ito wala pang nahuhuli ni isa pa sa kanila.  Alam naman natin yung iba dito is nasa ibang bansa, but itong tatlo na nandito, 'yun 'yung hinahanap natin. But rest assured, 'yung effort pa rin natin kahit 'yung nasa labas ng bansa ay tuloy-tuloy,” he said.

(No one from Sunwest has been caught yet. We know that some are here and others are abroad. But these three who are here, those are the ones we are looking for. But rest assured, our efforts are still ongoing even though those who are outside the country are still ongoing.)

The CIDG-NCR warned punishment for those who are helping the accused hide from authorities.

Of the 16 accused, nine are now under custody, according to the police.  

Other accused who are yet to surrender or be arrested are: 

• Resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, who is also former House appropriations panel chairperson
• 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

According to Guiagui, the registration of Ngo’s firearms has been cancelled. 

On November 18, the Ombudsman filed with the Sandiganbayan corruption and malversation of public funds charges against Co and others. The charges were in connection with the alleged anomalous P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. 

The cases were raffled to the 5th, 6th, and 7th Division of the Sandiganbayan.

These were the first lodged against those allegedly involved in the flood control kickback scheme that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. first flagged during his fourth State of the Nation Address in July.

On November 21, Marcos announced that warrants of arrest have been issued against the accused. —AOL, GMA Integrated News