World · Philippines Bureau
DPWH chief testifies in graft trial of former Bicol lawmaker Co
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon took the witness stand Wednesday in the corruption case against ex-Representative Zaldy Co, stemming from a flood-prone infrastructure project in Oriental Mindoro worth nearly P290 million.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways chief provided testimony in the anti-graft proceedings against former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co and his co-accused, with prosecutors alleging serious irregularities in a major provincial development project.
The case centers on the Sunwest project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, valued at P289.4 million, which state prosecutors contend was plagued by severe structural deficiencies. Dizon, who personally inspected the disputed infrastructure work, appeared before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court to present findings from the government agency.
The charges against Co and his associates relate to alleged misconduct in the project's implementation and completion. The testimony from Dizon, as the country's chief infrastructure official, marks a significant development in the prolonged legal proceedings against the former lawmaker.
The case is among several corruption complaints involving infrastructure projects that have drawn heightened scrutiny from authorities in recent years, as the government has intensified efforts to combat graft in public construction contracts.