Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Documents on the cases against former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, a number of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B, and Sunwest Corp.’s Board of Directors have reached the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Divisions.Set to handle the malversation case, for which granting of no bail was recommended by the panel of Ombudsman prosecutors, is the Sixth Division. This is regarding malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents under Article 217 in relation to Article 171 (4) of the Revised Penal Code. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/01/10/19/sandiganbayan-justice-asked-to-inhibit-in-p50-million-bi-bribery-scandal-cases">Sandiganbayan justice asked to inhibit in P50-million BI bribery scandal cases</a></div>At the helm of the division is Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez.Fernandez was appointed on May 11, 2015 during the Aquino administration. Despite being asked to recuse herself from handling charges, including plunder, against former Bureau of Immigration deputy commissioners over a P50-million bribery controversy, Fernandez was among the Sixth Division justices who refused to inhibit back in 2019.Associate Justices Kevin Narce Vivero and Lord Villanueva are also members of the division in the present day.Vivero was appointed on November 2017, while Villanueva’s appointment was only on January 2025.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/18/ombudsman-files-raps-vs-zaldy-co-others-in-oriental-mindoro-flood-control-project-1623">Ombudsman files raps vs Zaldy Co, others in Oriental Mindoro flood control project</a></div>Before being part of the anti-graft court, Villanueva served as Department of the Interior and Local Government undersecretary for operations.Meanwhile, one of the graft cases on a flood control project’s anomalies, specifically on a supposed violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, is now under the Fifth Division.Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses is the chairperson of the division, joined by members Associate Justice Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Associate Justice Gener Gito.Before he was appointed in 2016, Trespeses for a time became the judicial staff head of former Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.Corpus-Mañalac, meanwhile, was involved in the lifting of a sequestration order on properties allegedly owned by former President Ferdinand Marcos and close associates.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/20/ombudsman-says-sandiganbayan-cases-vs-discayas-could-be-filed-on-friday-0001">Ombudsman says Sandiganbayan cases vs Discayas could be filed on Friday</a></div>The resolution dismissing the case for failure to show alleged schemes to hide supposed ill-gotten wealth was penned with the concurrence of Corpus-Mañalac.Before his post in the anti-graft court, Gito was a Muntinlupa judge who acquitted ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima in her final drug case filed during the Duterte administration.The graft case Co faces as the lone accused, particularly for an alleged violation of Section 3(h) of RA 3019, is now handled by the Seventh Division.Associate Justice Lorifel Lacap Pahimna chairs the division with Associate Justice Georgina Hidalgo as a senior member. Pahimna was appointed in 2017, while Hidalgo’s appointment was in 2018.Hidalgo was a Caloocan Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge prior to her role in the anti-graft court. Given the completion of the special raffle of cases, among the next steps expected is the issuance of arrest warrant and hold departure order.The Office of the Ombudsman previously filed a motion for this the same day it filed the cases.

Documents on the cases against former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co, a number of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B, and Sunwest Corporation’s Board of Directors have reached the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Divisions.

Documents on the cases against former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co, a number of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-B, and Sunwest Corporation’s Board of Directors have reached the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Divisions.

A look at Sandiganbayan divisions handling cases on flood control

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A look at Sandiganbayan divisions handling cases on flood control

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 20, 2025 06:00 PM PHT

Read More:

Flood control

Zaldy Co

Sandiganbayan

DPWH

Sunwest

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