The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division approved the prosecution’s motion to consolidate the malversation and graft cases of former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co and others over the allegedly anomalous road dike project in Oriental Mindoro.
The November 27 resolution stated that consolidation would “serve the highest interest of justice and judicial economy.” The ruling, however, still requires the Fifth Division’s acceptance, which handles the graft charges separately.
The prosecution argued the cases arose from the same facts, transactions, parties, witnesses, and evidence, making separate trials redundant.
“Consolidation of these cases will serve the highest interest of justice, promote judicial economy, expedite the resolution of the charges, prevent the repetition of evidence, and avoid the possibility of conflicting factual findings or rulings on the same set of facts,” the resolution read.
The court cited Rule 119, Section 22 of the Rules of Court, which allows offenses founded on the same facts or forming part of a series of similar offenses to be tried jointly. Since both cases were recently raffled and trial has not yet started, consolidation is expected to speed up the resolution.