Two out of three at-large officials of Sunwest Construction who are still in the country have sent surrender feelers, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said yesterday.
“There are ongoing manhunt operations although two of them are sending surrender feelers,” PNP-CIDG acting director Maj. Gene. Robert Alexander Morico II said in a press briefing.
The three board members — Consuelo Aldon, Noel Cao and Anthony Ngo – were among the five Sunwest officials covered by arrest warrants issued in connection with a questionable flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
Ahead of the issuance of the arrest warrants, Sunwest president Aderma Angelie Alcazar traveled to Australia on Oct. 2 while Sunwest treasurer Cesar Buenaventura flew to the United Arab Emirates on the same day.
Morico, however, did not identify the two board members who had sent surrender feelers.
“They have a back channel with us… There were some family members who approached us. I think the CIDG’s credibility was well-established that we will respect their rights,” Morico said.
“We must understand that three of those in the arrest warrant are in the country. Although they hold high positions in the company (Sunwest), they are just dummies, so basically, they do not have the money and the capacity to pay for lawyers for them,” the CIDG chief said.
Aside from Sunwest officials, the Oriental Mindoro flood control case also covered former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co and several DPWH-Mimaropa officials.
The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division is set to arraign the respondents of the case today (Tuesday).
Scheduled to enter a plea before the anti-graft court are DPWH Region 4-B officials Gerald Pacanan, Gene Ryan Altea, Ruben Santos, Dominic Serrano, Juliet Calvo, Dennis Abagon, Montrexis Tamayo and Lerma Cayco, who are all under detention.
The cases filed were for malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents, and violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Co was additionally charged with violation of Section 3(h) for receiving unwarranted financial or pecuniary benefits.
