He is facing cases over his involvement in flood control projects in the Philippines.
In a video message uploaded on Wednesday, December 10, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly announced that the passport held by fugitive ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co has been canceled.
“Maibabalita ko po sa inyo na ang passport po ni Zaldy Co ay kanselado na,” he said.
Following this, Marcos directed concerned government agencies to coordinate with the country’s embassies for the capture and immediate return of the former Ako Bicol Representative, who is facing arrest warrants for graft and malversation over an anomalous multi-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
“Kaya in-instruction-an ko na ang Department of Foreign Affairs, pati ang PNP (Philippine National Police), na makipag-ugnayan sa ating mga embassies sa iba’t ibang bansa para tiyakin na hindi maaaring magtago itong ating hinahabol na magtago doon sa kanilang bansa,” added the Chief Executive.
Marcos continued, “At kung sakali man ay siya ay pupunta roon, ay i-rereport sa atin para naman maibalik natin siya dito sa Pilipinas.”
Co is one of the co-accuser in the case, which was also filed against officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Mimaropa and executives of Sunwest Construction and Development Corp.
The legal challenge was filed by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan as part of the first tranche of cases related to flood control projects corruption.
Meanwhile, in the same video message, President Marcos also said that contractor Sarah Discaya is now in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) following her decision to voluntarily surrender on Tuesday, December 9, in anticipation of the issuance of a warrant for her arrest.
“Asahan po ninyo na patuloy pa rin ang ating imbestigasyon, patuloy pa rin ang ating pagpila ng mga kaso upang tiyakin na ang mga guilty dito sa ganitong klaseng iskandalo ay haharap sa batas at bukod diyan ay maibalik ang ninakaw na pera sa taong bayan,” Marcos assured the public.