Dela Rosa: Zaldy Co should appear in next Senate flood control hearing
By Dhel Nazario
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa said on Tuesday, Sept. 30, that he will push to have resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co invited to the next flood control hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Contributed photo)
In an ambush interview, Dela Rosa said that Co is no longer covered by the tradition of interparliamentary courtesy. He added that a warrant of arrest should be in order should Co refuse to appear.
“Kung wala siya, followed by subpoena. After ng subpoena, i-show cause mo pa ba paano siya makapag-show cause wala nga siya eh. Wala, warrant na yan, issuance of warrant (“If he doesn’t show up, then it will be followed by a subpoena. After the subpoena, will you still issue a show cause order? How can he respond when he’s not even there? Nothing — that’s already a warrant, the issuance of a warrant). The committee will request the Senate leadership to issue a warrant of arrest,” Dela Rosa said.
"Aside from that warrant, kung lalabasan siya ng warrant coming from the courts as a result of the cases being filed by DOJ, then marami siyang kinakaharap na warrants (Aside from that warrant, if a warrant comes out from the courts as a result of the cases filed by the DOJ, then he will be facing multiple warrants)," he added.
According to the senator, even those from the majority bloc want him invited, because he is at the center of everything in relation to the anomalous flood control projects.
He also stated that Co's resignation as a lawmaker is not enough.
"It's not enough. Stepping down is not enough," Dela Rosa said.
"What will be enough is thorough investigation, if it warrants prosecution, prosecution. If it warrants conviction, conviction. That's what the people are looking for," he added.