Lacson: Blue Ribbon to summon Zaldy Co

In interviews yesterday, Lacson said the committee would verify Co’s claims along with the story of 18 former soldiers about cash deliveries allegedly on the ex-lawmaker’s orders.

Lacson said he would also invite former Marine Orly Guteza, who has not been seen since he testified that he delivered to Co and former speaker Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez suitcases of cash in alleged flood control project kickbacks.

“Once Co is in the Philippines and the court allows it, I plan to have him attend the hearing along with Guteza and the ex-soldiers so we will find out who is truthful, who is telling half-truths and who is lying,” Lacson said over dzMM.

As to the claims of the 18 former soldiers that they delivered luggage stashed with P805 billion in cash to President Marcos and other administration officials, Lacson said their allegations could be “interconnected” with those by Co.

The Blue Ribbon will connect the dots and find out who is lying, Lacson said.

“We can also invite them to separate hearings but I think it would be better if we invite Co along with the ex-soldiers who claimed to deliver P805-billion cash in suitcases. And if possible, we invite Guteza too,” Lacson told dzBB.

Lacson earlier cast doubt on the kickbacks delivery, by calculating the logistical nightmare of transporting by land or air 805 metric tons of cash worth P805 billion in over 13,000 suitcases.

As for the President and his cousin the former speaker, Lacson said Marcos cannot be summoned by the Senate because of the principle of separation of powers. The committee may invite Romualdez, but it should be coursed through the Office of the Speaker as a matter of inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Sign partial Senate report first

The possible appearance of Co at the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hinges on the panel’s ability to muster the required nine signatures to pass the partial flood control probe report.

Six senators have already signed the report, including Lacson. Three more are needed so he can sponsor the report to the plenary and open it for interpellation and amendments.

Lacson said Co, now under custody of the Czech Republic, will be invited to the Blue Ribbon panel “at the first opportunity.”

“I thought of hinging the resumption of the hearings to the passage of the report so that my colleagues would realize the duty and responsibility on their shoulders to sign it and investigate Zaldy Co,” Lacson told “Storycon” on One News on Friday.

Lacson struck a confident note that three more signatures would come. Still, it is an uphill climb to pass the partial report, with the minority bloc expected to oppose it and even some members of the majority bloc having reservations.

“Admitting to Senate President Tito Sotto, one member of the majority bloc already committed to a former colleague in the majority who’s now in the minority of not signing the report,” Lacson said.

He said the language of the report has already been softened without compromising its intent. The report is recommending a preliminary investigation be opened against Senators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva – all members of the minority bloc.

The leaked draft suggested the filing of criminal and administrative charges against them.

Philippine coordinating with Czech officials – President Marcos

Philippine authorities are coordinating with their counterparts in the Czech Republic to ensure the immediate return of flood control scam suspect Co, President Marcos said on Friday.

“Our coordination with Czech authorities continues,” Marcos said in a post on Facebook. “The latest information confirms that Zaldy Co was stopped at the German border after entering from the Czech Republic. He was denied entry and returned to Czech authorities, where he remains in custody,” the President said.

Marcos announced on X on Thursday night the arrest of Co.

According to the President, Co was detained in Prague for lacking proper documentation.

Return in 1 to 3 weeks

Barring unforeseen problems, Co may be back in the Philippines in one to three weeks, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said yesterday.

Remulla said the government is working with Czech authorities for Co’s deportation so that he could face criminal charges for allegedly siphoning billions of pesos in anomalous flood control projects.

Asked when they expect Co back, Remulla said in an interview over dzMM radio: “Maybe from as little as one week to as long as three weeks, it depends on the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs). They are taking the lead here.”

Once Co is brought back to the country, Remulla said they will take the former congressman to the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters at Camp Crame for a thorough physical examination. Co will then be presented to the Sandiganbayan which issued the arrest warrant against him. It is up to the anti-graft court where Co will be detained.

Remulla said he has prepared the Quezon City Jail along Payatas Road as a detention facility for those involved in the flood control scandal.

For its part, the PNP expressed readiness to take custody of Co once he is deported to the country. “We assure the public that the PNP is prepared to assume custody of the subject upon his arrival and will ensure that all procedures are carried out in accordance with existing laws and due process,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

The National Bureau of Investigation will be coordinating with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the DFA to bring back Co to the country, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said.

Matibag said the DOJ and DFA are expected to take the lead in handling the case, while the bureau awaits formal instructions following Co’s arrest. “As of now, there is no clear directive yet,” Matibag said over radio dzRH.

He said Co’s Philippine passports, both diplomatic and official, had already been canceled. There is also no verified information that Co has acquired citizenship or legal status in other countries.

Step toward justice

Speaker Faustino Dy III welcomed yesterday the confirmed detention of Co in Prague, calling it a significant step toward accountability and justice for the Filipino people.

“The arrest of Mr. Zaldy Co is an important step forward for justice and the rule of law. It sends a clear message that those who attempt to evade the law will be held to account,” Dy said.

House lawmakers also welcomed the news of Co’s arrest, as they asked the government to fast-track his deportation.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. is expecting Co, his former party co-nominee, to tell all about what he knows in the anomalous flood control projects once he returns.

House senior deputy minority leader and ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the Philippine government should waste no time in having Co deported back to the country.

The Makabayan bloc – led by House deputy minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Rep. Sarah Jane Elago and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co – said Co’s arrest will open the door for him to face the serious cases filed against him.

Senators yesterday also lauded the arrest of Co.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian called Co the “face of corruption” in the flood control scandal, citing his role as House of Representatives appropriations chair and a government “cong-tractor” who allegedly inserted billions of flood control projects to the national budget as a source of kickbacks.

Sen. JV Ejercito called Co’s arrest a “welcome development, so that he may impart knowledge about the biggest corruption scandal ever in Philippine history.”

— Mark Jayson Cayabyab Helen Flores, EJ Macababbad, Emmanuel Tupas, Mark Ernest Villeza, Jose Rodel Clapano