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No court order yet to cancel Zaldy Co's passport—DFA

Philippines | National

No court order yet to cancel Zaldy Co's passport—DFA

By Raymund Antonio

Former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co (MB File Photo)

Former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co (MB File Photo)

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to receive a court order to cancel resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co’s passport over his involvement in the mutli-billion-peso flood control mess.

In a statement on Friday night, Nov. 21, the DFA said it has the power to cancel passports only after a court orders it to do so.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs can cancel Philippine passports issued to Filipino citizens upon receipt of a court order issued by a competent Philippine court instructing the DFA to cancel a Philippine passport,” it stated.

This is pursuant to Sections 4 and 10 of Republic Act 11983 or the New Philippine Passport Act.

“As of this time, the Department has not received such an order,” it added.

President Marcos said that the Ombudsman has filed cases and issued arrest warrants against Co, the former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and 17 others involved in the flood control corruption.

The warrants were based on evidence gathered by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The Chief Executive also earlier announced that the ICI and the DPWH were about to turn over all the evidence they have about Co and former speaker Martin Romualdez, his cousin.

Co has been out of the country since July and reportedly sought medical treatment in the United States.

In a video, he tagged Marcos and Romualdez to the flood control corruption, alleging that he was merely following their orders and that the reported kickbacks went to them.

Related Tags

Zaldy Co DFA Philippine passport arrest warrant court order

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