Sandiganbayan denies bail bids of Zaldy Co’s co-accused in flood control mess case

The Sandiganbayan has denied the petitions for bail of nine ex-officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who are facing malversation charges along with ex-Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co over an alleged substandard P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

In a 41-page resolution, the Sandiganbayan said the prosecution was able to show that the evidence of the accused’s guilt is strong.

The nine individuals who were denied bail are:

• Gerald Pacanan, former Regional Director IV of the DPWH Region IV-B from January 11, 2022 to August 31, 2025;
• Gene Ryan Altea, officer-in-charge, Office of the Assistant Regional Director of the DPWH Region IV-B from May 9, 2023 to December 20, 2023, and Assistant Regional Director of the same office from December 21, 2023 to September 16, 2024;
• Montrexis Tamayo, OIC, Office of the Division Chief, Planning and Design Division of the DPWH Region IV-B from May 9, 2023 to September 17, 2024; later Chief of the Planning and Design Division from September 18, 2024 to April 22, 2025; and OIC, Office of the Assistant Regional Director of the DPWH;
• Juliet Calvo, Chief of the Maintenance Division, DPWH Regional Office IV-B from November 7, 2022 up to the present, until the filing of the case;
• Dominic Serrano, Chief of the Construction Division, DPWH Regional Office IV-B from August 4, 2009 to September 9, 2025;
• Dennis Abagon, OIC, Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division of DPWH Regional Office IV-B from December 16, 2022 to April 22, 2025;
• Lerma Cayco, Accountant IV of the DPWH, Regional Office IV-B from November 25, 2008 to present or until the filing of the case;
• Felisardo Casuno, designated Project Engineer of the project under Contract ID No. 24E00047 which is the subject of the said case; and
• Ruben Santos, Jr., OIC, Office of the Assistant Regional Director from September 18, 2024 to November 24, 2024 and Assistant Regional Director of the DPWH Regional Office IV-B from November 25, 2024 up to the filing of the instant case.

“The prosecution’s evidence shows that accused Serrano, Cayco, Pacanan, Altea, and Santos made their respective certifications and approvals in the subject disbursement vouchers. As a result, the total amount of P215 million was released to Sunwest, Inc.,” the Sandiganbayan said, referring to the contractor of the P289 million flood control project.

“There is clear and convincing evidence to show that the accused permitted Sunwest, Inc. to take the subject funds. This appears to have been done by making untruthful statements in a narration of facts,” the anti-graft court added.

It added that the denial of the petitions for bail is not tantamount to finding them guilty of the offense.

“The Court’s ruling herein is not a prejudgment of the guilt of the said accused. The Court merely determined the weight of evidence for the purposes of bail,” the Sandiganbayan said. — JMA, GMA Integrated News