Like Co, 2 Sunwest execs facing raps are out of PH
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said two executives of Sunwest Corp., aside from former lawmaker Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, have been outside the country since the corruption scandal over flood control projects broke out.
Sunwest chair and president Aderma Angelie Alcazar and treasurer Cesar Buenaventura have departure records with the bureau, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval told reporters on Wednesday night.
The two, along with Co, are now considered fugitives as they have standing warrants of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan on charges of malversation of public funds in connection with an anomalous road dike project worth P289.5 million in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Feelers sent
“We understand from the statements from the police that they are sending some sort of feelers that they want to go home. Immigration officers would be ready to inform law enforcement agencies once these individuals enter the immigration gates as their names have been listed in their derogatory database,” Sandoval said.
Their three other coaccused Sunwest board members—Consuelo Aldon, Noel Cao and Anthony Ngo—also remain at large. But they are presumed to still be in the country, with no documentation that they had left for abroad.
Last week, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police acted on a tip that Aldon, Cao and Ngo were posing as staff of a Pasay City hotel, but authorities failed to find them in the 10-story building during the operation.
Bonoan coming back
Co, on the other hand, is suspected to be using a Portuguese passport while hiding in Europe, most likely Portugal, with whom the Philippines has no extradition treaty, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said.
Meanwhile, Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan had given assurance that he would return to the county on Dec. 17.
Bonoan, one of the ranking officials covered by the investigation into questionable flood control projects, left for the United States last month to accompany his wife for her medical treatment.
Bonoan is now a subject of an immigration lookout bulletin order that was issued upon the request of his successor, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, on Sept. 10.
The BI said it was also working on the deportation of Cao Cheng, a 41-year-old Chinese national using the alias “Martin Zhao,” who is allegedly one of the importers of the luxury vehicles owned by contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya.
Cheng is currently facing various charges, including false and willful representation, obstruction of apprehension, and illegal use of alias. —WITH A REPORT FROM GABRYELLE DUMALAG
