The Sandiganbayan Second Division has granted the Office of the Ombudsman’s request to issue a precautionary hold departure order (HDO) against Benguet’s lone Congressional Rep. Eric Yap and his brother, former ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Edvic Yap, on Tuesday.

“Let a Precautionary Hold Departure Order be issued against respondents Representative ERIC GO YAP and EDVIC GO YAP pursuant to Rule VIII, Section 3 of the 2018 Revised Internal Rules of the Sandiganbayan,” the nine-page resolution read.

The HDO was requested over the brothers’ alleged role in anomalous La Union projects via Silverwolves Construction Corporation, a company they have been linked to.

The application, the document said, is anchored on the complaint filed by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon against 13 officials and employees of the DPWH La Union 2nd District Engineering Office, Silverwolves Construction Corp., and other unnamed parties.

“In the said complaint, Sec. Dizon alleges that two flood control projects implemented by the DPWH La Union 2nd District Engineering Office and awarded to Silverwolves were improperly reported as 100% completed, contrary to the ocular inspections that Sec. Dizon personally conducted,” the court wrote.

Projects overseen by Silverwolves in La Union were found to be substandard, according to locals as well as Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.