Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, construction company Sunwest Inc. has secured P2 billion worth of projects from the Land Transportation Office,.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said Sunwest built two buildings worth P499 million each – one is the supposedly IT Training Hub and the other is the Road Safety Interactive Center.

Another building worth P946 million which was supposed to be the Central Command Center.

Lacanilao said the contract for the projects were signed in February 2021, Although the construction of the buildings were finished, audit findings showed that the buildings were said to be underutilized.

“The COA report disclosed several serious observations, including but not limited to the following, improper use of the IT dormitory at low cost to its occupants, poorly-maintained dormitory rooms, idle IT hub equipment,” the LTO chief said in a press conference.

“COA AOM-184-2024-17, 2020-2021 highlighted that efficiency and non-compliance with the contract requirements and specification of non-utilization, under-utilization of various components in the facility and improper computation of the contract results in an overpayment amounting to P 26,910,332,” said Lacanilao.

Lacanilao said that the underutilization of the buildings was due to the payments yet to be made due to the questions raised by the LTO. But during the leadership of Vigor Mendoza, the LTO made payments of nearly P2-billion in December 2024.

He said that they will submit the necessary documents to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure and to the Office of the Ombudsman to look into the alleged anomalies of the buildings.

“Given the foregoing circumstances and the strong indication of potential irregularities in this issue of public funds, our office has determined it necessary to formally transmit this matter to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, or ICI,” said Lacanilao.