AMLC affirms Zaldy Co's receipt of P802 M from construction firm linked to flood control scandal
Former Ako Bicol Party-list Zaldy Co (Facebook)
Former Ako Bicol partly-list representative Zaldy Co remains the beneficial owner of Sunwest, Inc. with around P802 million recorded transactions for years since 2019, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) told the Sandiganbayan on Tuesday, April 7.
In his testimony, AMLC’s lawyer Jan Mark Busa said Co continued to benefit from the Sunwest, Inc. despite his reported divestment from the company through bank transactions from 2019 to 2025
The Sandiganbayan hearing is in connection with the malversation case relating to the P289 million flood control in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro where Co and several others were named respondents.
Aside from Co, also charged before the anti-graft court were former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B regional director Gerald A. Pacanan, assistant regional directors Gene Ryan A. Altea and 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 of quality assurance and hydrology division Dennis Pelo Abagon, and planning and design division officer-in-charge Montrexis Tamayo.
The female accused are now detained at Camp Karingal in Quezon City while the male accused are locked up at the Payatas new jail facility, also in Quezon City.
Co has been declared by the anti-graft court as a fugitive from justice following his refusal to return to the country.
The fifth division of the Sandiganbayan had ordered the issuance of a writ of preliminary attachment against the 16 properties owned by Co as it granted the prosecution's motion filed on Jan. 30, 2026.
The Sandiganbayan had affirmed the denial of the motions filed by Co’s co-accused to post bail.