DPWH to sue Zaldy Co’s contractor-brother over damaged Navotas seawall

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

WASTED TAX. Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon (left) and Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco inspect a collapsed seawall on Monday (Nov. 10, 2025). The DPWH said it will file charges against contractor Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp., owned by Christopher Co, who is the brother of former Ako Bicol partylist congressman Zaldy Co. (Photo: PNA)

MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will file charges against the company owned by a brother of former Ako Bicol partylist representative Zaldy Co over the seawall that collapsed in Navotas City at the height of Super Typhoon Uwan.

Secretary Vince Dizon said the DPWH will take legal action against Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp., owned by Christopher Co, to recover government funds and ensure accountability from the contractor.

“All we’re going to do is to sue Hi-Tone Construction because not only did they not destroy it, but until now, several months have passed, they haven’t even had it repaired,” he said in an interview after inspecting the damaged dike on Monday.

“We will sue Hi-Tone Construction, not just to get back the money we spent on it. They need to be held accountable for that damaged portion of the dike in Navotas.”

Weeks after it was turned over, parts of the seawall collapsed on Sunday night during the onslaught of Uwan, triggering severe flooding.

More than 6,000 residents were forced to evacuate as seawater submerged homes in Barangay Bagumbayan South. Floodwaters reached chest-deep levels.

Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp. was among the top 15 contractors named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in August as having cornered a combined PHP100 billion of the PHP545-billion budget for flood control projects awarded between July 2022 and May 2025.