President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that the Sandiganbayan has issued arrest warrants against former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co and 17 other officials from the DPWH and Sunwest Corporation due to their alleged involvement in the controversial flood control project irregularities. Marcos called on law enforcement agencies to act swiftly and arrest all accused individuals without delay, stressing that the pursuit of justice must be firm and uncompromising. The involved officials—comprising regional directors, engineers, accountants, and Sunwest board members—face graft and malversation charges linked to a P289-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro that government prosecutors described as substandard and, in large part, nonexistent. Co, who is implicated in all three criminal cases, is the only accused tagged across all divisions of the Sandiganbayan. The Sandiganbayan has denied motions from several DPWH officials seeking to block the issuance of the warrants, stating that probable cause had already been established. Marcos reiterated that no one involved will receive special treatment and expressed gratitude to the public for their patience during the lengthy investigation, assuring that the government will see the case through to its conclusion. All defendants were also placed under a hold departure order. Authorities have yet to ascertain Co’s exact whereabouts, though previous travel records show he had been in the US, Europe, Singapore, Portugal, Spain, and Japan. The DFA clarified that Co’s passport may only be canceled once the department receives a court directive.
