MANILA, Philippines – State witness and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara alleged in his judicial affidavit that resigned Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co sought infrastructure contracts in Bulacan.

According to the prosecution, the connection connection of Alcantara and Co allegedly proves that Co — who’s still at-large as of writing — is a contractor of government projects.

Under many laws, including the 1987 Constitution no less, conflict of interest is strictly prohibited. Aside from banning politicians from having other occupations other than their elective positions, the laws also bar them from having direct or indirect financial interests in government contracts.

Citing Alcantara’s affidavit, the prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman said the former district engineer and Co allegedly met in 2019.

“Zaldy Co wanted to enter as a contractor for Bulacan projects. So that’s why we know that at that time, he was already engaged in the construction business,” the prosecution team told reporters in a mix of Filipino and English after the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division’s hearing on Tuesday, March 24. “And then after that, they frequently met each other.”

Alcantara’s testimony is important to the prosecution’s case pending before the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division because they are alleging that Co committed malversation due to alleged irregularities in the procurement and construction of a P289.4-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Apart from Co, DPWH Mimaropa officials are also respondents in the malversation case, along with the board of directors of Sunwest Corporation — a company founded by Co.

“Based on our information, we alleged that Zaldy Co is the controller of the beneficial owner of Sunwest. That’s in our information…. The contractor in this project is Sunwest. And who owns Sunwest? It’s Zaldy Co. It’s him really,” the prosecution added.

During the Tuesday hearing, the prosecution explained that they were presenting Alcantara not as an engineer, but due to his alleged dealings with Co. The Ombudsman prosecutors reiterated that Alcantara knows Co and “personally met him at High Street.”

The prosecution also said that Alcantara met with Co upon the instructions of former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

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Inside the courtroom

Alcantara arrived at the courtroom at exactly 9 am while the hearing started at 9:35 am. His presentation as the prosecution’s witness came a week after Bernardo alleged that he received P130 million from Co as “a sign of gratitude.”

The camp of former DPWH Mimaropa director Gerald Pacanan objected to Alcantara’s presentation as witness. Pacanan’s lawyer said Alcantara’s testimony is “undeniably irrelevant” because the project in question was as in Mimaropa, and not in Bulacan where Alcantara had served. 

“Mr. Henry Alcantara has no personal knowledge,” Pacanan’s camp argued.

After a quick huddle, the division’s justices — Chairperson and Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez and members Associate Justice Kevin Narce Vivero and Associate Justice Lord Villanueva — allowed Alcantara to testify.

The division explained that Alcantara’s affidavit is relevant to the prosecution’s point that Co is Sunwest’s alleged beneficial owner. The defense, however, did not cross-examine Alcantara. The defense lawyers said they will not ask the former DPWH official due to their objection against him as a prosecution witness.

Unlike in Bernardo’s case last week, the justices did not throw questions at Alcantara. With this, the courtroom did not personally hear Alcantara speak about his testimony — only through the prosecution.

What does Alcantara know?

In his affidavit submitted to the Senate blue ribbon committee in September 2025, Alcantara claimed that he delivered kickbacks to Co at the latter’s residence in Pasig City and at a hotel parking in Taguig City.

Alcantara alleged that Co’s kickback grew from 20% in 2022 to 25% in 2025. The former district engineer also alleged at the Senate hearing that from 2022 to 2025, Co was said to have pushed 426 projects in Bulacan’s 1st District, amounting to P35 billion.

Apart from this, Alcantara also made other revelations in relation to the multi-billion-peso flood control mess.

In his sworn affidavit submitted to the Senate last year, Alcantara confirmed how insertions were made in the national budgets for 2022 to 2025. He said kickbacks were through the DPWH offices in Bulacan (1st and 2nd Districts), Tarlac (1st and 2nd Districts) Pampanga 3rd District.

He alleged that the kickbacks’ beneficiaries include former senator Bong Revilla, incumbent senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, former Caloocan 2nd District representative Mary Mitzi “Mitch” Lim Cajayon-Uy, Co, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana (whose wife is a contractor), and Ferdstar Builders Constractors.

Alcantara also corroborated the testimony of his former subordinate, Brice Hernandez, who alleged that Villanueva and Estrada received kickbacks.

The Department of Justice named Alcantara as a state witness in January, which gave him protection and immunity from certain cases. – Rappler.com