House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima on Wednesday welcomed the Ombudsman’s filing before the Sandiganbayan corruption and malversation of public funds charges against former Ako-Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 4B, and Sunwest Corporation directors.
“We welcome this development as it shows that something concrete is finally happening,” De Lima of Mamayang Liberal Party-list said.
“Nababagalan tayo pero umuusad patungo sa pagsasampa ng kaso. Umaasa tayo na marami pang mas mabibigat na kaso, na may matitibay na ebidensya, ang isasampa para masiguro ang pagpapakulong at pagpapanagot sa mga kurakot,” added the former justice secretary.
(We may find it slow, but we see the progression towards filing the case. We hope that many more serious cases, with strong evidence, will be filed to ensure the imprisonment and accountability of the corrupt.)
De Lima also renewed her push for the enactment of the permanent ICI.
She appealed “for faster, transparent and effective investigation of the other cases, while urging our colleagues in the House and the Senate for the immediate passage of our proposed ICAIC bill to strengthen the investigative body.”
“We must not be distracted by political noise, misled by unvetted claims, or confused by those who muddle the issues,” De Lima stressed.
On Tuesday, the Ombudsman filed the charges against the respondents in connection with the alleged anomalous P289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
The P289-million flood control project is a road dike along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
The project was funded under the 2024 national budget of the DPWH.
