Zaldy Co prefers more durable ‘maleta’ for kickbacks – Henry Alcantara

MANILA, Philippines — Former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co switched from duraboxes to “maleta” (suitcases) to transport kickbacks worth up to P40 million per delivery due to durability issues, state witness and former Public Works engineer Henry Alcantara said on Tuesday.

Alcantara made the statement during his testimony before the Sandiganbayan Third Division at former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s bail hearing for his plunder case stemming from alleged kickbacks from infrastructure projects worth P7.44 billion.

READ: Alcantara: 20% kickback began in 2022, hiked during Romualdez’ time

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Co, who chaired the House Appropriations Committee during Romualdez’s speakership, is a coaccused in the plunder case.

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During cross-examination, Romualdez’s lawyer, Thea Daep, asked Alcantara to confirm whether he used duraboxes to deliver money to Co.

The witness responded, “In the beginning.”

READ: Alcantara says he gets 2% cut from Co’s alleged kickbacks as ‘lambing’

Alcantara then said Co eventually told him to deliver the alleged kickbacks using suitcases.

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“The explanation [of Co] is that, when the durabox is carried, since it is plastic, the handle gets broken,” he added.

Alcantara also said his deliveries were received by Co’s supposed executive assistants, John Paul Estrada and Mark Ticsay, at an area in Bonifacio Global City and in Valle Verde in Pasig City.

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He said the amount of each delivery “varies from P30 million to P40 million.”

To indicate the amount, Alcantara said, “We normally put a Post-it on top of the durabox.”

Last week, witness Rodante Orbillo brought a durabox before the court, which he said was used as a cash container.

Orbillo is a former Marine and former bodyguard of Co.

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According to Orbillo, he asked Co’s staff at Valle Verde if he could take the durabox home to use as a container for his personal items. /mcm