MANILA — Former Roberto Bernardo told the Sandiganbayan that former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co gave him P130 million in “balato” or tokens of gratitude linked to the alleged substandard Oriental Mindoro flood control project.

Bernardo, appearing for the first time as a state witness, said Co gave him P100 million through ex-DPWH First District Engineering Office District Engineer Henry Alcantara and P30 million via ex-DPWH 4B Regional Director Gerald Pacanan, spanning 2023 to 2025.

“Your Honor, it was [a] token of gratitude for guaranteeing na maayos kausap si Engineer Alcantara,” Bernardo told Sandiganbayan Sixth Division chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Fernandez.

He added that the payments from Alcantara were broken down as P40 million in 2023, P40 million in 2024, and P20 million in 2025, while the amounts from Pacanan were P10 million annually over the same period.

When asked how he knew the money via Pacanan came from Co, Bernardo said, “He (Pacanan) told me the balato came from Zaldy Co.” He also clarified that the funds were received by his aides, not himself directly.

The Oriental Mindoro project, valued at P289 million, is handled by Sunwest Construction, a firm founded by Co, although Bernardo said he was unsure whether the P30 million via Pacanan was drawn from this project.

Co has denied receiving billions in alleged payoffs from government flood control projects.

Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said Bernardo’s testimony does not affect his status as a state witness in the DOJ’s ongoing investigation into anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan.

“Hindi po siya affected. Wala pong crossover dito,” Martinez said.