Henry Alcantara, a former district engineer at the DPWH Bulacan regional office and now a state witness, will testify in the malversation trial against resigned lawmaker and fugitive Zaldy Co and 15 others over an alleged substandard P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
During the trial hearing on March 19, government prosecutors informed the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division that they will present Alcantara as a prosecution witness on March 24. Alcantara is among four individuals admitted into the witness protection program in connection with the controversial flood control cases. Both Alcantara and contractor Sally Santos of SYMS Construction Trading were dropped as respondents in cases involving anomalous flood control projects after becoming state witnesses, the Department of Justice announced, noting that three cases were transferred to two designated special courts in Quezon City. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla admitted they had hesitated to file charges but are now determined to exhaust all legal avenues to bring Co back to the country. Meanwhile, four tax-related cases against private contractor Curlee Discaya II have been filed before the Court of Tax Appeals. These developments relate to the alleged substandard P289.5-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.