2nd ICI subpoena for no-show Co
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has issued yet another subpoena for former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co as it seeks to gather more information on his alleged role in infrastructure projects that were flagged for alleged corruption.
If Co, who left for abroad in August, ignores the new subpoena to appear on Nov. 11 and 12, the three-man body may resort to petitioning a court to cite him in contempt, ICI Executive Director Brian Hosaka said on Tuesday.
“That is what we will study—if there’s sufficient basis to go to our remedial measures, which is to file a petition for contempt against him,” he told reporters.
Hosaka declined to give other details on the new subpoena dated Oct. 20, citing “data privacy” rules, except to say this was served at Co’s last known address in Pasig City and Bicol province.
Co was earlier summoned to appear before the ICI on Oct. 14, along with former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, but the subpoena was not directly served on him.
His testimony is being sought for his alleged role as chair of the House appropriations committee in the 19th Congress, and as a cofounder of Sunwest Inc., one of the top 15 contractors that cornered the biggest pie of flood control projects during the Marcos administration.
He resigned as Ako Bicol representative on Sept. 29 amid allegations that senators, congressmen, public works officials and contractors colluded to siphon off billions of pesos for flood control projects that were found to be either substandard or nonexistent.
‘Grossly substandard’
The ICI had recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges, including graft and malversation of public funds, against Co and 17 others over an allegedly anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro province.
Sunwest was identified as the contractor of the P289.5-million flood control project in Barangay Tagumpay in Naujan town, Oriental Mindoro, that was found to be “grossly substandard” for failing to meet the requirements in the steel sheet pile,
According to the ICI’s report, P246 million or 85 percent of the total allotment for the project has been disbursed.
The ICI listed Co as among the people “potentially responsible” behind the anomalous project for his alleged “receipt of unwarranted benefits in relation to construction projects of Sunwest.”
What about Go?
Meanwhile, Hosaka said that the ICI has “no plans yet” to invite Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go for its case buildup hearings even after former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV turned over to the commission last week a copy of his complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Trillanes filed charges of graft, plunder and violation of the code of conduct for government personnel against Go, his father and brother over the government infrastructure deals they secured while Go is in power.
In his Oct. 24 letter, Trillanes asked the ICI to compel Go, his father Deciderio, and brother Alfred to explain the alleged P6.9 billion in public infrastructure projects that their companies cornered through “joint ventures” with St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp. of Curlee and Sarah Discaya.
Go’s father owned CLTG Builders while his brother owned Alfrego Builders & Supply.
The flagged projects were implemented from 2016, when Go started serving as aide to then President Rodrigo Duterte, up to the present, Trillanes said.
Discayas’ deals
Contractors linked to the Discayas won P31 billion worth of contracts during the first half of the Marcos administration, from 2022 to 2025, according to a Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism report.
Hosaka said the ICI will have to shift its focus for now on gathering more information on cases that have not yet reached the Office of the Ombudsman.
“We don’t want to be redundant… We would rather concentrate our efforts on new case buildups, meaning, referrals to the Ombudsman of a different project,” Hosaka said, citing the lack of manpower as another factor.
Pleyto denial
Meanwhile, Bulacan Rep. Salvador Pleyto has denied claims by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla that he was among politicians who received money from the Discaya couple.
Remulla had said that the Discaya couple transmitted money to then ACT-CIS party list Rep. Eric Yap and to Pleyto, when he was not still a congressman, citing reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
“I strongly condemn these accusations and insinuations against me,” Pleyto said in a statement, requesting the AMLC to release its report implicating him in the fund mess so he can properly address the matter.
Pleyto said he is ready to cooperate with the AMLC or any other body “to ensure that the truth will come out.”
“Until such time that I have a copy of the official report from the AMLC, I urge the public to refrain from drawing conclusions or spreading unverified information that may cause undue harm to my personal reputation, both as a private person and a public servant,” he added. —WITH A REPORT FROM GABRIEL PABICO LALU
