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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Zaldy Co's lawyer claims resigned lawmaker 'fears for his life'

Zaldy Co's lawyer claims resigned lawmaker 'fears for his life'

Published Nov 5, 2025 04:39 pm
The camp of resigned Ako Bicol Party-List congressman Zaldy Co said on Wednesday, Nov. 5, said that the former legislator fears returning to the Philippines due to “threats to his life.”
“Unfortunately, there are credible and serious threats to his life,” said lawyer Ruy Rondain, the legal counsel of Co, during a press briefing.
“He is really afraid to come out at this time,” added the lawyer who said he last talked to Co Tuesday night, Nov. 4. However, Rondain said he does not know where the former legislator is.
“We’ll see him as soon as the fear of violence against him abates,” the lawyer assured.
Rondain lamented that based on his observations in social media and news reports, “one half of the country wants to throw him in jail and throw away the key” and “the other half wants to string him up to the nearest tree.”
“Ako, personally, ang bigger fear ko is vigilante violence (Personally, my biggest fear for him is vigilante violence) because everyone hates him,” he said.
During the meeting with journalists, Rondain expressed belief that “the Ombudsman has already prejudged this case.”
Recently, the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) issued an order that directed Co to file his counter-affidavit in response to the allegations against him concerning his involvement in anomalous government flood control projects.
Rondain recounted that “Ombudsman Boying Remulla has already said he intends to file these cases by Nov. 25.”
“Assuming Mr. Co is served today, that doesn’t give them a lot of time for him to answer, for the Ombudsman to review and to write a resolution,” he said.
Regardless, Rondain said that “at this time, the way things are going, Co does not intend to file a counter-affidavit.”
He assured that Co has not received kickbacks from any anomalous flood control projects as claimed by the former lawmaker’s alleged former aide, Orly Guteza, during the hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
“The first time I heard that name was at the Senate hearing,” Rondain said about Guteza. He said he only knows of two aides who worked for Co.
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