Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has resigned as a member of the House of Representatives amid calls for him to come home from abroad and answer allegations on 2025 budget insertions and the flood control projects corruption scandal.

Co's resignation letter was received by the office of House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III at 2:35 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29.

Co then shared the letter on his social media just before 4 p.m.

The former Committee on Appropriations chairman cited "imnminent threat to the lives" of his family members and himself as main reason for his resignation.

"On account of the real, direct, grave and imnminent threat to the lives of my family members and me, and the evident denial of my right to due process of law, I am constrained to tender with immediate effect my irevocable resignation as a member of the House of Representatives," Co's letter read.

"The Ako Bicol Party-list will inform your good office of the nominee who will take my place in the House of Representatives," it added.

Reports said that lawyer Jan Chan was next on the list of the party-list's nominees.

"In light of my irrevocable resignation, I w ill make the necessary arrangements for my office at the Batasang Pambansa to be cleared of my personal belongings in order that the substitute nominee of the Ako Bicol Party-list may seamlessly transition into her or his role as its representative," Co's letter further read.

Co's social media post came with caption: "Mabigat man sa aking puso, ako’y nagpaabot ng aking pagbibitiw bilang Kinatawan sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso (While it breaks my heart, I have told the Lower Chamber of Congress about my resignation as a representative)."

"Ang desisyong ito ay hindi naging madali, ngunit ito ay aking tinimbang nang mabuti para sa ikabubuti ng aking pamilya at ng mga taong patuloy kong pinaglilingkuran. Maraming salamat sa pagsuporta," he said.

(This wasn't an easy decision, but I weighed my options carefully for the benefit of my family and the people whom I continue to serve. Thank you very much for your support.)

A letter from Speaker Dy last Friday, Sept. 26 gave Co until Monday, Sept. 29 to return to the Philippines. Failure to comply “shall be construed as a refusal to subject yourself to the lawful processes of the House and will result in the initiation of appropriate disciplinary and legal actions", Dy said.

With his resignation, the House of Representatives can no longer compel the Bicolano to do anything, unless he is invited to attend an investigation in aid of legislation.

Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco's ethics complaint against Co is now moot and academic, since the worse penalty that the latter could receive is expulsion from the House.

Co was earlier granted a travel clearance by the House as he sought medication abroad for a heart ailment. This travel clearance was revoked by Speaker Dy last Sept. 18.

Co also served as president of the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI).