A sweeping legal move against those tied to an allegedly bogus flood control project in Oriental Mindoro escalated on Friday as the Sandiganbayan announced it had issued arrest warrants and hold-departure orders for former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and 17 others.
President Marcos revealed the development himself through a video message on his Facebook page, directing authorities to act without delay. “Let’s not delay this any longer. Arrest them now. Make sure it is done quickly and correctly. The wheels of justice are turning,” he said. He later emphasized, “This is not speculation. This is not just a tale. This is solid evidence.”
The anti-graft court’s Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Divisions simultaneously barred the accused from leaving the Philippines. According to a briefer released shortly after Marcos’ announcement, Co was the only respondent confirmed to be overseas. He departed the country in August, and officials still have no information on his whereabouts.
Those ordered arrested include senior officials from DPWH Region IV-B and members of the bids and awards committee, along with several officers of Sunwest Inc., the contractor awarded the P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan town. The project, implemented along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River, was flagged for alleged substandard construction and is at the center of the corruption probe. Sunwest was identified by investigators as linked to Co.
The Ombudsman welcomed the court’s swift response to the charges its prosecution team submitted earlier in the week. The cases involve plunder, graft and direct bribery following parallel findings from the DPWH and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
In recommending charges against former House speaker Martin Romualdez and Co, officials from both agencies cited documentary evidence and sworn accounts gathered during Senate Blue Ribbon hearings on the same controversy. “We would not have included the recommended charges if we did not find any basis,” Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said. ICI Commissioner Rogelio Singson added that over 1,000 individuals could potentially face criminal liability. “Just think about it – one ghost project will involve easily 15 individuals to be accused,” he said.
Dizon noted that the joint report detailed roughly P100 billion in infrastructure contracts—mostly flood control works—awarded between 2016 and 2025 to Sunwest Inc. and Hi Tone Construction and Development Corp., both linked to Co. He also pointed to the alignment between Romualdez and Co during their tenure as House speaker and appropriations committee chairman.
President Marcos, in a separate recorded message, expressed confidence in the Ombudsman’s handling of the matter. “I am confident that the ombudsman simply follows evidence and wherever the evidence leads, that is where our investigation will go,” he said.
Opposition legislators responded positively. ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said she appreciated the President fulfilling his commitment to look into the allegations, while Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña described the development as an “important step toward accountability.”
The DFA, meanwhile, said it cannot cancel Co’s passport without a court directive. “As of this time, the department has not received such an order,” spokesperson Angelica Escalona said.
As arrests loom, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said tracker teams are now deployed to locate all the accused. He confirmed that law enforcers are checking Co’s residences and offices and reviewing security footage to determine whether he has reentered the country. If there is no trace of him, Remulla said, “the court will have to apply for a red notice and cancellation of passport.”
Remulla noted that Interpol earlier issued a blue notice on Co after learning he last stayed in Japan. The alert allows authorities to track a person worldwide but does not authorize arrest. He added that it may be difficult to pursue Co if he seeks refuge in Russia or China, where the Philippines has no law-enforcement cooperation, or in Malaysia or Portugal, which have no extradition treaty with Manila. Intelligence reports also suggest Co possesses a Portuguese passport.
In a separate move, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group issued subpoenas to several individuals linked to the alleged ghost projects. CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II said more people may be summoned as the investigation continues. Police leadership assured that enforcement of the arrest warrants will strictly observe due process.
