Navotas City Lone District Representative Toby Tiangco cast doubt on former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co’s claim that he cannot return to the Philippines due to alleged threats to his life.
In a press briefing on November 5, Co’s legal counsel, Atty. Ruy Rondain, said, “Like I said, he’s deathly afraid of coming home because may serious threats to his life.”
However, Tiangco, in his own press conference on November 6, questioned the validity of such reasoning, pointing out that Co seemed to have no intention of facing the charges against him.
“One thing is very clear doon sa kaniyang press statement, walang balak bumalik si Congressman Zaldy Co para harapin ‘yong mga kaso,” Tiangco said, noting that Co had long been avoiding accountability.
He added that this was part of a “pattern” of evasion: “When he claimed medical treatment, hindi siya nagpakita ng medical certificate. Ngayon, sinasabing [may] threat to life, wala namang pinapakitang threat assessment,” he pointed out.
Tiangco further questioned whether a “threat to life” could legally justify one’s refusal to appear in court: “Ano kayang legal basis no’ng hindi ka haharap sa kaso mo dahil may threat to life? Wala namang legal basis ‘yon,” he said.
He also criticized what he described as privilege driven by wealth and influence: “Ibig sabihin, porke’t mayaman siya, makapangyarihan siya, puwede niyang gamitin ‘yong ‘threat to life’? E, ‘yong ordinaryong tao, kapag nakasuhan, kailangan niyang harapin?”
As of this writing, Co’s camp has yet to issue a new statement in response to Tiangco’s remarks.