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

Alcantara became the second state witness called to testify in the trial against former Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co and DPWH-Mimaropa officials, after former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who appeared last Tuesday, 17 March.

He is set to appear before the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division on 24 March after Bernardo claimed that he received nearly P100 million in connection with the case.

The former regional director was also involved in naming various lawmakers during a hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee who were allegedly involved in the flood control scandal prior to his declaration as a state witness.

In its most recent proceeding, former DPWH-Mimaropa OIC regional director Editha Babaran was called to the witness stand following a judicial affidavit from the prosecution reporting the dike’s non-compliance with infrastructure standards.

The prosecution also presented a video of Babaran explaining why the dike was constructed in a manner that differed from its initial design.

Scouring resistance

It claimed that the engineer should have refrained from offering expert opinions on a matter that could have various factors leading to the outcome.

The statement in question referred to Babaran’s claim that the varying lengths of steel sheet piles could influence resistance to scouring, referring to the erosive action of flowing water that removes sediment.

Associate Justice Sarah Fernandez permitted Babaran’s testimony as it expanded on points previously established in the trial.

Meanwhile, authorities had been asked to retrieve several luxury vehicles allegedly linked to former congressman Co, including units located inside his private compound.

The request was made by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which urged the Bureau of Customs to take custody of six high-end vehicles reportedly parked at Co’s property.

These include a Rolls-Royce, three Cadillacs, and two Lexus units.

Confiscated

The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group has also been asked to recover three additional vehicles earlier confiscated at a condominium in Taguig and believed to be connected to the same case.

Among these is a Ferrari, although ownership has yet to be confirmed.

The ICI said it will also turn over two vehicles — a Lamborghini Urus and a GMC unit — previously surrendered by former Department of Public Works and Highways assistant engineer Brice Hernandez.