Hold-departure order issued vs Eric Yap, brother

March 4, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has barred Benguet Rep. Eric Yap and his brother resigned ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Edvic Yap from leaving the country as they face investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman for malversation and graft over their alleged involvement in the flood control scandal.

The anti-graft court’s Second Division issued a precautionary hold-departure order against the Yap brothers as requested by the ombudsman, which is currently conducting a preliminary investigation on complaints filed by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon.

“A PHDO is requested during the Preliminary Investigation stage to ensure that the respondents, who are considered flight risks, do not leave the jurisdiction. It is precautionary,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said yesterday.

Dizon earlier tagged congressman Yap as a “person of interest” after evidence that turned up during investigations pointed to him as the beneficial owner of the Silverwolves Construction Corp., which bagged over P16 billion in public works projects from 2022 to 2025.

He added that some information about Yap’s connection to the construction firm came from Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, a former member of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI. Edvic Yap resigned from the House of Representatives last February.

Dizon said the Yap brothers may have violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and malversation of public funds with falsification of public documents.

In December last year, President Marcos himself announced that the Yap brothers were subjects of a court order freezing their bank accounts and other assets, as well as companies linked to them, Silverwolves Construction and Sky Yard Aviation Corp..

Citing the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla also said Yap received large amounts of cash from contractors Pacifico and Cezarah Discaya.

Zaldy’s trial begins

The anti-graft court, meanwhile, officially started yesterday the trial of the malversation case against former lawmaker and now fugitive Zaldy Co and his 15 other co-accused involving a P289.5-million sub-standard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

Nine of the accused were present during the trial conducted by the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division. Co, who remains at large, has already been declared by the court as a fugitive.

The prosecution presented Oriental Mindoro provincial engineer Edylou Tejido as witness.

DPWH-Mimaropa officials Gerald Pacanan, Gene Altea, Ruben Delos Santos Jr., Dominic Serrano, Lerma Cayco, Felisardo Casuno, Dennis Abagon, Juliet Calvo and Montrexis Tamayo were present during the first day of the trial.