Co’s co-accused puts doubt on DPWH’s thoroughness in inspecting project

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co’s co-accused on Wednesday has cast doubt on the thoroughness of inspection of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the alleged substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro’s Naujan town.

Editha Babaran, former officer in charge of the DPWH office in Region IV-B, took the witness stand of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on the graft case against nine of Co’s co-accused. 

The case stemmed from a P289.4 million worth of road dike project in Mag-asawang Tubig River built by Sunwest which DPWH found to have serious structural deficiencies. 

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DPWH chief Vince Dizon, who inspected the site in September last year, discovered that the road dike only has a three-meter steel sheet pile (SSP), which is far from the 12-meter requirement.

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During the cross-examination of lawyer Joseph Nolan Jacinto, Babaran confirmed that there were 1,064 SSPs required in the road dike.

Jacinto is the lawyer of Dominic Serrano, the former construction division chief of DPWH-Region IV-B.

Further questioning of Jacinto led to Babaran revealing that they only measured four SSPs during the inspection. 

These four were among the 60 SSPs which were excavated by DPWH for inspection. 

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“Since the other SSPs were not exposed, you cannot for sure tell whether they are three meters or 12 meters embedded?” Jacinto asked Babaran.

“Yes,” Babaran answered, after which Jacinto ended his cross examination.

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Serrano and eight of his other co-accused have been behind bars due to their non-bailable malversation of public funds case filed in the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division stemming from the same Oriental Mindoro project built by contractor Sunwest.

Sunwest is co-founded by Co, who could not participate in the trial as he was at large abroad.

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Co’s absence prompted the court to declare him as a fugitive from justice, barring him from participating in the proceedings unless he surrendered voluntarily. /apl