Witness testifies kickbacks to ex-lawmaker came with receipts

MANILA — A witness in the Sandiganbayan antigraft court provided testimony Thursday detailing how alleged kickbacks to former Ako Bicol party list Rep. Zaldy Co were documented with "acknowledgment receipts," according to court proceedings. Wirt Walter Rosales, who previously served as personal assistant to then-Department of Public Works and Highways engineer Henry Alcantara, told the court that the transactions included formal acknowledgment documentation. The witness indicated that the receipts were subsequently disposed of, raising questions about the handling of evidence related to the alleged scheme.

The testimony adds a new dimension to the case being heard by the antigraft court, suggesting a deliberate paper trail existed for the transfers. Rosales's account provides specific details about how the alleged kickbacks were initially recorded and later removed from record. The case centers on allegations that Alcantara delivered irregular payments to Co, potentially in connection with public works projects.

The Sandiganbayan is examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged transfers and the subsequent destruction of documentation. Rosales's testimony may prove significant in establishing whether there was a pattern of deliberate record-keeping followed by destruction of evidence. The court proceedings continue as investigators work to reconstruct details of the alleged transactions and the chain of custody for related documents.