The Makabayan bloc has declared it will not allow former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co to be the sole figure held accountable for alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Representative Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Representative Renee Co issued the statement following Co’s arrest in Prague, Czech Republic, which is seen as a step closer to his facing charges.
“Hindi puwedeng si Co lang ang panagutin kung sistema ang nagpatakbo ng korupsyon. Dapat managot ang lahat ng nakinabang—kahit gaano kataas ang kanilang puwesto. Dapat managot lahat ng sangkot, simula sa pinakatuktok,” the group said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself announced Co’s arrest after the former lawmaker attempted to enter Germany without proper travel documents. The government is now working on his immediate deportation so he can face pending cases related to the flood control project scandal.
The bloc stressed that Co’s return should not be treated as a mere spectacle.
“His return must not be reduced to a media spectacle or a convenient ending; it must be the beginning of a full public reckoning over the flood control scam and the broader system of corruption in public works and budgeting,” the group added.
They also challenged Co, who once chaired the House Committee on Appropriations, to reveal all he knows about the anomalies to ensure that his alleged accomplices are held accountable.
While the Makabayan bloc did not name specific individuals, they reminded the public that Co had previously implicated former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez and President Marcos Jr. in connection with the controversy.
“These are allegations that cannot be brushed aside as mere noise, especially given the scale of public funds involved and the widespread damage caused by substandard or nonexistent flood control projects,” the group said.