A former official of the Department of Public Works and Highways is set to testify against former lawmaker Zaldy Co in connection with a malversation case involving an allegedly substandard flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
Prosecutors told the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division that former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo will take the witness stand on March 17.
Bernardo, who has been declared a state witness, is currently under the government’s Witness Protection Program and is expected to testify about the alleged irregularities surrounding the flood control project.
Also scheduled to testify on the same date is Editha Babaran, officer-in-charge regional director of the DPWH Mimaropa office.
Babaran replaced former regional director Gerald Pacanan, who is among the accused in the malversation case.
The defense, however, objected to the prosecution’s plan to recall Babaran as a witness, arguing that she had already testified during earlier bail hearings in the case.
Prosecutors responded that witness appearances would depend on their availability, explaining why specific dates for testimonies were not initially indicated.
The anti-graft court said hearings will resume on March 17 and March 19 after no trial sessions were scheduled the following week due to witness scheduling conflicts.
Several DPWH officials facing graft and malversation charges in the case have already entered not guilty pleas.
Meanwhile, Co — who has been declared a fugitive by the Sandiganbayan — remains at large and cannot seek judicial relief from the court while evading its jurisdiction.
The case is linked to allegations that funds were misused in a flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.