Seven of the 16 people charged alongside former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co in the flood control corruption scandal are now in government custody, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced Monday, even as he called on the remaining accused to surrender.
In his latest report to the nation, made public through his social media accounts, Marcos detailed the first wave of arrests since he announced the issuance of arrest warrants on Friday.
“Ipinapaalam ko po na ilan sa mga indibidwal na may warrant of arrest mula sa Sandiganbayan ay nasa kustodiya na ng ating mga awtoridad (I am informing you that several of those with arrest warrants from the Sandiganbayan are now in the custody of authorities),” he said.
Marcos said one suspect was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), while six others voluntarily surrendered to the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
Two more have sent word that they intend to surrender soon.
In all, seven accused are now detained, two are in the process of surrendering, and seven — including Co — remain at large.
Marcos issued a blunt warning to those evading arrest.
“Sa lahat ng natitirang akusado, ang aking payo: sumuko na kayo. Huwag na ninyong hintaying habulin pa kayo (To all remaining accused, my advice: surrender now. Do not wait for authorities to hunt you down),” he said.
He also reminded anyone against sheltering the fugitives.
“Mananagot ang sinumang nagtatago o tumutulong magtago sa kanila (Anyone hiding or helping hide them will be held accountable).”
All arrested and surrendered suspects will remain under NBI custody pending court orders.
There will be “no special treatment”, Marcos assured.
The arrests mark the most significant action yet in the government’s crackdown on allegedly rigged flood control projects — a scandal Marcos himself exposed in his July State of the Nation Address, triggering a multi-agency investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, Department of Public Works and Highways, Commission on Audit, and the Ombudsman.
“Hindi kami titigil. Hindi kami hihinto (We will not stop),” Marcos said.
The President earlier vowed to jail those behind the multi-billion corruption scandal “before Christmas.” (PNA)
