Bernardo: Zaldy Co gave me P130-M as 'token of gratitude'

Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo testified before the Sandiganbayan on Tuesday and claimed that former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co gave him a P130 million "balato" or what he called "token of gratitude."

Bernardo, in his first-ever testimony as a state witness, made the disclosure when he was presented as one of the prosecution’s witnesses before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division, where 16 individuals, including ex-DPWH officials and Co, are facing malversation charges over the alleged substandard Oriental Mindoro project.

Bernardo told the anti-graft court that Co gave him a P100 million share from years 2023 to 2025 coursed through ex-DPWH First District Engineering Office District Engineer Henry Alcantara and another P30 million also spanning years 2023 to 2025 coursed through ex-DPWH 4B Regional Director Gerald Pacanan.

Sandigabayan Sixth Division chairperson and Associate Justice Sarah Fernandez asked Bernardo what the purpose of such "balato" was.

“Your Honor, it was [a] token of gratitude for guaranteeing na maayos kausap si Engineer Alcantara," Bernardo said. 

“I can tell that it’s [every] third quarter of every year,” Bernardo said when asked by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Kevin Vivero when he received such amounts.

The former DPWH official said that for the amount given by Alcantara, it was broken down to P40 million in 2023, P40 million in 2024, and P20 million in 2025.

As for the kickback given by Pacanan, it was broken down to P10 million every year from 2023 to 2025.

When government prosecutors asked him what made him sure the money handed over via Pacanan came from Zaldy Co, Bernardo replied, "He (Pacanan) told me the balato came from Zaldy Co."

The contractor of the P289 million project is Sunwest Construction, a company founded by Co, although Bernardo said he is not aware if the P30 million he got from Pacanan was taken under the P289 million project that is the subject of the malversation case.

Pacanan is also one of those accused in the malversation case, while Alcantara has since been enlisted as a state witness for the flood control cases. 

Bernardo, however, said that the kickbacks he received from Co via Alcantara and Pacanan were received by his aides, not himself in person.  

Co has denied receiving billions worth of supposed payoffs from the government’s flood control projects.

When sought for comment, Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said Bernardo's testimony does not affect his status as a state witness for the DOJ’s probe on cases involving anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan. 

“Hindi po siya affected. Wala pong crossover dito,” he said.

(It’s not affected. There’s no crossover here.) —VAL/RF, GMA Integrated News