The Sandiganbayan has upheld its denial of bail for nine co-accused of fugitive lawmaker Zaldy Co in the Oriental Mindoro flood control malversation case, rejecting their motion for reconsideration in a 27-page resolution.
In Manila, the Sandiganbayan's Sixth Division issued the resolution upholding the denial of bail for former DPWH Mimaropa officials. This follows the court's issuance of arrest warrants in November 2025 for Zaldy Co and 17 others over the anomalous P289.5 million flood control project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
The court rejected the co-accused's claim that prosecution evidence failed to prove conspiracy. Their certifications, recommendations, and approvals facilitated the release of DPWH funds to Sunwest Inc., linked to Zaldy Co, despite the contractor's failure to meet specifications.
The nine denied bail are: former regional director Gerald Pacanan; former assistant regional directors Gene Ryan Altea and Ruben D.S. Santos; former construction division chief and bids and awards committee chairman Dominic Serrano; former project engineer 3 Felisardo Casuno; former accountant IV Lerma Cayco; former OIC-chief of quality assurance and hydrology division and BAC member Dennis Abagon; former planning and design division OIC Montrexis Tamayo; and former maintenance division chief Juliet Calvo.