Four former bodyguards of ex-congressman Zaldy Co may be included as respondents in plunder charges over alleged anomalies in flood control projects after they withdrew sworn statements implicating several personalities, the Office of the Ombudsman said Tuesday.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the anti-graft body is considering whether to include the four men as respondents if they do not agree to become state witnesses.

The bodyguards had previously testified that they repeatedly delivered large sums of money to various personalities on orders from Co, their former employer.

“They are analyzing the situation,” Clavano said at an Ombudsman press conference. He added that investigators were considering including the four in the plunder case because they allegedly delivered billions of pesos to respondents in the case.

Clavano said the Ombudsman has yet to obtain a copy of the bodyguards’ recantation, noting that former House Speaker Martin Romualdez had obtained one earlier and attached it to his counter-affidavit.

He said the bodyguards’ recantation was only a general statement and did not contain detailed denials of their earlier affidavits.

Clavano said the Ombudsman would give greater weight to the specific details contained in the original affidavits as investigators assess the conflicting statements.

The Ombudsman is investigating alleged irregularities in flood control projects, including claims involving the delivery of large amounts of money to various personalities.