Former president Rodrigo Duterte (left), Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (PPAB)

The camp of Ako-Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has denied that the congressman owns the Gulfstream G550 jet that was used to transport former president Rodrigo Duterte from Villamor Airbase in Pasay to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.

This, after a post linking Co to the airplane bearing the tail number RP C5219 began to spread on social media.

The post even claimed that the same airplane was gets used often by President Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“Hindi po sa kanya ‘yan. Kindly check po kung sino may-ari, may tail number yan (That is not his. Kindly check who the owner is, based on the tail number)," said a staff of Co who declined to be named.

This would later be echoed in an official statement from Co's office at past 3 p.m. Wednesday.

It read: "Please be advised that the jet plane with tail number RP-C5219 which carried former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Netherlands is NOT owned by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co. Social media posts claiming otherwise are FALSE."

Reports said that Challenger Aero Corporation owned the airplane, which took off from the Pasay airbase at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday. 

Co's camp advised the public to be discerning about the information that they consume online.

"We urge the public and media to be more discerning, to verify with proper authorities, and be responsible in sharing information to avoid the spread of false or unverified claims," the statement added.

Until last December, Co served as chairman of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations in the 19th Congress. He is the president of the Party-List Coalition Foundation, Inc.