Zaldy Co counsel skips DoJ investigation on ‘ghost’ projects

THE counsel of former Party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co, who is facing a plunder complaint, did not attend the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) preliminary investigation on Monday, a spokesperson said.

“No counsel appeared for Elizaldy Co. But then that does not mean that the proceedings will be suspended just because he did not appear,” Justice Spokesperson Raphael Niccolo L. Martinez told reporters on Monday.

“We’re working with the timeline here and any respondent for that matter. If they do or do not appear, we will proceed in accordance with the timeline under the rules,” he said.

The department on Monday conducted preliminary investigation into the plunder complaint and six criminal complaints involving anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan, filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Mr. Co’s plunder case is being handled separately, according to Mr. Martinez saying the NBI filed it over alleged “ghost” projects involving more than P50 million and an alleged conspiracy with Department of Public Works and Highways officials, though he did not name the individuals or locations involved.

Six of the cases stemmed from flood control projects under the Bulacan first district engineering office that were reported as 100% completed but were later found to be either grossly deficient or entirely nonexistent. The projects involved contracts awarded to Wawao Construction and Top Notch Catalyst Builders.

Mr. Martinez said the six cases are separate from five other complaints earlier submitted for resolution and involved different project transactions. Among those named as respondents are Senator Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla, Jr. and Senator Joel Villanueva, each implicated in separate cases.

“Senator Bong Revilla is a respondent in one case, while Senator Joel Villanueva is a respondent in another,” Mr. Martinez told reporters, clarifying that the two are not co-respondents but are both linked to the broader investigation involving the Bulacan engineering district.

The charges related to the flood control projects include direct bribery, corruption of public officers, violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, breaches of the Government Procurement Reform Act, and alleged bid rigging.

The deadline for the submission of counter-affidavits in the plunder case has been set for Jan. 15.

Mr. Revilla and Mr. Villanueva have also personally filed their counter-affidavits on Monday.

“Former Sen. Revilla and Sen. Villanueva are respondents in two cases involving two different projects, respectively,” Mr. Martinez told reporters. “The charges include, among others, Direct Bribery, Corruption of Public Officials, Malversation through Falsification, as well as violations of Republic Act 9184 and Republic Act 3019.”

Mr. Villanueva, accompanied by legal counsel Ramon S. Esguerra, submitted a comprehensive counter-affidavit denying allegations over complaints filed by the NBI Public Works and Bid Rigging Task Force.

“We are here to show our commitment to due process, to the legal process — that’s why we are here — despite the fact that our belief remains the same: that the complaint is really ridiculous,” Mr. Villanueva told reporters in Filipino.

His counsel stated that the counter-affidavit contains factual and legal refutation of the accusation as the complaint failed to identify the exact amount of money the senator allegedly received and highlighted that witness accounts were inconsistent regarding the source and delivery of funds.

He added that the complaint was incomplete, missing pages and annexes, prompting the filing of a Motion for Production of Evidence.

Meanwhile, Mr. Revilla’s counter-affidavit contests charges of bribery and corruption related to flood control projects, which his camp described as “baseless” and “hearsay.”

“The allegations against former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla have no basis. Complaints like this, filed without foundation, seem to have been made merely to harass or inconvenience an individual,” Mr. Revilla’s spokesperson, Francesca Lourdes M. Señga, told reporters in Filipino.

“The complaint is based on incredible and incompetent evidence. In fact, it relies on hearsay from sources that are incredible, unbelievable, and unreliable,” she said.

“Hoping against hope na ma-dismiss (it would be dismissed) and they will follow their own rules. There is no prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction,” Mr. Esguerra added, who also serves as Mr. Revilla’s legal co-counsel.

Once the preliminary investigations are completed and the cases are submitted for resolution, the DoJ will transmit its findings to the Office of the Ombudsman for the possible filing of formal charges in court, Mr. Martinez said. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking