Witness admits seeing up to 60 ‘maleta’ at Zaldy Co’s condo

MANILA, Philippines — A prosecution witness told the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday that he saw up to 60 “maleta” moved in and out of the luxury condominium of  former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and was told by colleagues that it contained cash.

Maj. Alvin Nuguid, who served as close-in security of Co, made this testimony as he took the witness stand to testify on the plunder bail hearing of former Speaker Martin Romualdez stemming from alleged P7.44-billion kickbacks from infrastructure projects. 

READ: Witness tells Sandiganbayan: Romualdez urged Co to run for House seat

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Co, who was the chairman of the powerful House committee on appropriations before resigning as Ako Bicol representative in September last year, is one of the co-accused in this case.

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Nuguid, who became a close-in security of Co from March 2024 to July 2025, said he first heard of the delivery, which was called “special tasking” in April 2024.

According to Nuguid, he underwent police schooling from May to July before he came back to work for Co in the middle of August, after which he saw the suitcases. 

“In the succeeding months, it was when I saw the maletas,” Nuguid told the court. 

Based on his estimates, Nuguid said he personally saw around 50-60 suitcases being brought in and out of Co’s property.

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He said he saw this “in front of the door” of Co’s units inside Horizon Homes in Bonifacio Global City.

Nuguid said Co’s supposed executive assistants John Paul Estrada and Mark Ticsay are coordinating with him through phone calls whenever there is a “special tasking.”

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“They will just tell me that there is a ‘tasking,’ that boss (Co) has orders,” Nuguid said of Estrada and Ticsay.

Nuguid said Estrada and Ticsay coordinated with him “two or three times” per week during his time as Co’s security aide.

According to the witness, he “heard” from Estrada and Ticsay that the “maletas” supposedly delivered during the “special taskings” contained cash.

He also said he “heard” this information from four of Co’s former bodyguards, including Rodante Orbillo, Benny Boluntate, and Belnard Tube, who are part of the so-called “maleta boys.”

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“May biruan po sila na ‘may pera sa basura,’” Nuguid said of the three “maleta boys.” /jpv