A tip from an informant, who just walked in at the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), led to the seizure of eight illegally-imported luxury vehicles linked to fugitive, former lawmaker Zaldy Co, the body disclosed on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

ICI Special Adviser Rodolfo Azurin called on the public to do the same so the government could seize all properties illegally acquired by those involved in the anomalous flood control projects.

Azurin made the appeal as the technical working group (TWG) tasked to recover the assets amassed by perpetrators of the biggest corruption scandal to hit the country resumed its meeting, its fifth one.

He said an informant, whose affiliation he refused to identify, walked in at the ICI in December to share knowledge about the luxury vehicles that were parked at a condominium in Taguig City.

"Meron siyang kaalaman, gusto niyang tumulong. [Ang sabi nya], 'gusto n'yo bang malaman kung nasaan mga sasakyan ni Zaldy Co?' So chineck ng mga tao (That person has knowledge and wants to help, asking if we wanted to know the whereabouts of Co's vehicles)," Azurin said. "Yun nga may binigay na mga plate numbers, that's why nag-verify kami sa LTO (We were given plate numbers, that's why we verified with the Land Transportation Office)."

"Nakokonsensya na. Siguro gusto niyang tumulong talaga (The information might be feeling guilty and really wanted to help)," he added.

According to Azurin, ICI's plan for this year to expedite the recovery of illegal assets is to continue calling on all those who have information to coordinate with the body.

"For this year, ang kailangan natin dito para mapabilis ang pag recovery (We need to expedite the process of recovery). We wanted to appeal or get the cooperation ng bawat Pilipino siguro (of all Filipinos) to give us the information," he said.

On the other hand, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) maintained the legality of its current seizure of eight luxury vehicles linked to Co.

Lawyer Chris Bendijo, BOC’s deputy chief of staff , said the seizure was based on the lack of proper documents related to import entry of the luxury vehicles.

Bendijo also said BOC and other agencies "were equipped with five search warrants" when it served the warrant against the vehicles at a condominium in Taguig.

"Before we entered the premises, we provided their lawyers with the same. During implementation, we were all equipped with body cameras, after implementation, we conducted an inventory — it was signed by their lawyer so clearly above board yung aming implementation ng search warrant," he said.

So far, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has already frozen at least P21.1 billion worth of assets of those involved in the flood control controversy.

A TWG held a meeting on Tuesday afternoon that focused on discussions regarding the Asset Recovery Case Management Dashboard System (ARCMDS).

"This dashboard system aims to identify and consolidate information on assets subject to recovery, with particular focus on assets owned by individuals and entities with cases currently pending before the courts, as well as those covered by case referrals of the ICI and the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways)," ICI said.

"Agencies with registration, regulatory, and supervisory authority over monetary, real estate, and movable assets will be onboarded into the dashboard system to ensure inter-agency alignment on assets that have already been frozen and/or recovered, as well as those for which further action is required," it added.