Alcantara called to testify in river dike malversation trial

Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-A assistant regional director Henry Alcantara has been identified as a witness in the ongoing malversation trial over a collapsed road dike project in Oriental Mindoro.

Alcantara is the second state witness presented in the case against former Zaldy Co and several DPWH-Mimaropa officials, following the testimony of former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo on 19 March.

He is scheduled to testify before the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division on March 24, after Bernardo earlier claimed he received nearly P100 million in connection with the project.

Prior to being named a state witness, Alcantara had also identified several lawmakers allegedly linked to the flood control controversy during a hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

In the latest hearing, former DPWH-Mimaropa officer-in-charge regional director Editha Babaran took the witness stand following the submission of her judicial affidavit, which cited the dike’s alleged non-compliance with infrastructure standards.

The prosecution also presented a video showing Babaran explaining why the structure deviated from its original design.

However, the prosecution argued that the engineer should not have offered expert opinions on matters that may have multiple contributing factors.

The issue stemmed from Babaran’s statement that varying lengths of steel sheet piles could affect resistance to scouring, or the erosive action of flowing water that removes sediment.

Associate Justice Sarah Fernandez allowed Babaran’s testimony, saying it expanded on points already established during the trial.