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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan fines Ombudsman prosecutors for delay in bail hearing in P289-M flood control project in Oriental Mindoro

Sandiganbayan fines Ombudsman prosecutors for delay in bail hearing in P289-M flood control project in Oriental Mindoro

Published Feb 5, 2026 03:06 pm
The Sandiganbayan did not spare Ombudsman prosecutors for their “error” that caused delays in the hearing of the bail petition filed by the accused in the P289 million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
For the admitted error in the submission of the attachments to the judicial affidavit of the prosecution’s witness, Auditor Victoriano Acosta of the Commission on Audit (COA), Ombudsman prosecutors were fined P1,000.
The scheduled hearing on Thursday morning, Feb. 5, was delayed when the accused complained that the attachments submitted by the Ombudsman on the testimony of Acosta were incomplete.
Thus, the accused told the Sandiganbayan that the Ombudsman violated their right to be informed of the allegations against them.
Ombudsman prosecutors explained and admitted that what were scanned and submitted were the wrong documents.
Apparently dismayed, Sixth Division Chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez imposed a P1,000 fine on the prosecutors.
But Justice Fernandez denied the defense’s motion to expunge the judicial affidavit of Acosta despite the prosecution's blunder.
When Acosta finally took the witness stand, he testified on the “anomalies” found in the subject flood-control project. He also affirmed the notice of disallowance issued on the project by the COA.
The hearing was for the petition to post bail filed by former congressman Zaldy Co’s co-accused in the Naujan flood control project.
The co-accused are Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B Regional Director Gerald A. Pacanan, Assistant Regional Director Gene Ryan A. Altea, Assistant Regional Director Ruben D. Santos, Jr., Construction Division Chief Dominic G. Serrano, Project Engineer III Felisardo S. Casuno, Accountant IV Lerma D. Cayco, Maintenance Division Head Juliet Calvo, officer-in-charge Chief of Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division Dennis Pelo Abagon, and Planning and Design Division officer-in-charge Montrexis Tamayo.
They were charged with graft, a bailable offense, and malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents, a non-bailable offense.
They are now detained while the cases against them are pending.
Co has been abroad since July 2025 and has not returned to the Philippines to face his cases. The Sandiganbayan has declared him a fugitive from justice and his passport has been ordered cancelled.
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