PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced Wednesday that the passport of former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co, a central figure in the multi-billion peso flood control corruption scandal, has been canceled.
The move aims to prevent Co, who is currently abroad, from evading ongoing investigations.
“I can share the news that the passport of Zaldy Co has been canceled,” President Marcos stated in a video message.
Co, who reportedly left the country for medical treatment, has not returned amid investigations into alleged budget insertions and irregularities in flood control projects. He has consistently maintained his innocence against the accusations.
President Marcos has instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to coordinate with Philippine embassies worldwide to locate the former congressman.
“That is why I instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as the PNP, to coordinate with our embassies to ensure that Co will not be able to hide in their host-countries,” Marcos said. “Should he go to their country, his movements will be reported to us so that he will be returned here in the Philippines.”
Efforts to Locate Co
In September, the House of Representatives disclosed that Co had traveled to the United States for medical treatment. Records from the US Customs and Border Protection indicated that Co arrived in New York on August 26 and departed on September 13.
Earlier this month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) suggested that Co might be in Portugal, with DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla stating that Co was suspected of holding a Portuguese passport “acquired so many years ago.” Remulla also mentioned that Co’s previous locations included Europe, Singapore, Spain, and Japan.
On November 21, President Marcos announced that arrest warrants had been issued against Co and 15 others, including officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and directors of Sunwest Corp., in connection with the flood control projects controversy.
The Ombudsman filed corruption and malversation of public funds charges with the Sandiganbayan against Co and others on November 18, alleging an anomalous P289-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
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