Ex-DPWH exec tells court: Co gave me P130M as ‘balato’
Former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo took the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday and told the Sandiganbayan antigraft court that he received a total of P130 million as “balato” (share) from former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co.
Of the P130 million, P100 million was coursed through Bernardo’s subordinates at the regional office in Bulacan while P30 million was through the office covering the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region.
Bernardo appeared as a state witness in the criminal cases against Co and 16 other people, including former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and officers of Sunwest, a company being linked to the ex-congressman, over a P289-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
The case was the first to be filed by the Office of the Ombudsman based on the monthslong congressional investigations conducted last year into anomalous flood control projects, unraveling the worst corruption scandal to hound the Marcos administration.
From 2023 to 2025
According to the charges, the Naujan project awarded to Sunwest was found to have serious structural deficiencies. The project was under the supervision of then DPWH-Mimaropa Regional Director Gerald Pacanan, one of the accused.
Testifying on his judicial affidavit before the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division, Bernardo said he received a total of P30 million in cash from Co—or P10 million each year from 2023 to 2025.
‘Thank you’ gift
He said the money—which he described as “balato”—was delivered to him by Pacanan’s aide and driver.
When asked by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, the division chair, if he would consider the money as a “thank you” gift from Co, Bernardo replied: “Parang ganun na nga po (that seems to be the case).”
Fernandez then asked him if the money was intended to make him ignore the deficiencies of the Naujan project, Bernardo said he was not privy to its details.
‘Unusual’
The magistrate remarked that it was “unusual” for Bernardo to have received “balato” through a member of Pacanan’s staff.
But according to Bernardo, Pacanan had “direct control” of the project.
Bernardo also said that Co also sent him an additional P100 million, this time through Henry Alcantara, the former district engineer of the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office.
The money coursed through Alcantara amounted to P40 million in 2023, another P40 million in 2024, and then P20 million in 2025, he said.
Defense attempt to block
Before Bernardo could testify, Pacanan’s defense counsel Claudette Irene Manalastas tried to prevent the former undersecretary from taking the stand.
Manalastas argued that having Bernardo testify on his affidavit would be “procedurally improper” since he would be mentioning Co who remained a fugitive or still outside the court’s jurisdiction.
But the court ruled that Bernardo could proceed.
Co, a former chair of the House committee on appropriations, and the other accused are facing the charges for malversation of public funds, a nonbailable offense.
Nine of them, including Pacanan, have been arrested and entered a plea of not guilty. The court has denied their petition to post bail.
