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Daphne Galvez - The Philippine Star
March 6, 2026 | 12:00am
Department of Public Works and Highways.
Businessworld / File
MANILA, Philippines — Former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo will be presented as witness in the Sandiganbayan’s trial on the malversation case against former lawmaker and now fugitive Zaldy Co and other DPWH officials involving a substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
During the second day of the trial at the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division, the prosecution said they will present Bernardo on March 17, along with DPWH-Mimaropa OIC regional director Editha Babaran.
Bernardo has since been declared as a state witness in the flood control project scandal cases and is already covered by the witness protection program.
Meanwhile, Babaran replaced former regional chief Gerald Pacanan who is one of the accused in the malversation case.
For its part, the defense said they oppose the prosecution’s plan to recall Babaran as witness, saying she was already presented as a witness in the bail hearings in the case.
The defense raised the fact that while they have the list of witnesses the prosecution would present, no dates were indicated when these individuals will take the stand.
In response, the prosecution said this is because the witnesses would be presented depending on their availability.
The anti-graft court said there would be no trials scheduled next week on account of scheduling conflict from the prosecution’s witnesses therefore the trial will continue on March 17 and 19.
DPWH-Mimaropa officials Pacanan, Gene Altea, Ruben delos Santos Jr., Dominic Serrano, Lerma Cayco, Felisardo Casuno, Dennis Abagon, Juliet Calvo and Montrexis Tamayo had pleaded not guilty to charges of malversation and graft before the Sandiganbayan.
They were all present during the second day of the trial.
Co, declared a “fugitive” by the anti-graft court, remains at large and is not allowed to avail himself of any judicial relief from the Sandiganbayan.
The Sandiganbayan has scheduled the trial of the graft case against former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. and former officials of the DPWH in connection with an alleged P92.8-million “ghost” flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division terminated yesterday the pre-trial stage of the graft case.
Revilla had refused to enter a plea for the graft charges, so it was the Sandiganbayan that entered a not-guilty plea for him.
All his other co-accused, including DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office engineer Arjay Domasig and finance section chief Juanito Mendoza, have entered their not-guilty pleas before the anti-graft court.
Meanwhile, flood control contractor Curlee Discaya – who is detained at the Senate for contempt over its Blue Ribbon investigation on the flood control corruption scandal – was taken to the hospital yesterday for a frozen shoulder. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab
