ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Minority solons eager to see Zaldy Co back home, spill the beans

Minority solons eager to see Zaldy Co back home, spill the beans

Published Apr 17, 2026 01:10 pm

At A Glance

  • Minority congressmen are itching to hear what former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has to say about the flood control projects mess, now that he has been arrested in the Czech Republic.
Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Contributed photo)
Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Contributed photo)


Minority congressmen are itching to hear what former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has to say about the flood control projects mess, now that he has been arrested in the Czech Republic.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the Philippine government "should waste no time in fast-tracking Zaldy Co’s deportation".
"Dapat harapin na niya ang mga kaso laban sa kanya, panumpaan niya sa tamang forum yung mga alegasyon niya, at isiwalat sa mga imbestigasyon ang lahat-lahat ng mga nalalaman niya maging mga ebidensiyang meron suya ukol sa maanomalyang flood control projects," De Lima said.
(She must now face the cases filed against her, swear to her allegations in the proper forum, and disclose in the investigations everything she knows, including whatever evidence she has regarding the anomalous flood control projects.)
"Pagsabay-sabayin natin ang imbestigasyon sa mga alegasyon na kinasasangkutan nya. Dahil tulad sa impeachment, hindi dapat itengga ang paghahanap ng katotohanan hanggang #ManagotLahatNgKurakot," she added.
(We should conduct the investigations on all the allegations involving her simultaneously. Because, just like in impeachment, the search for truth should not be stalled until #ManagotLahatNgKurakot.)
Assistant Minority Leader Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno described Co's capture as "a welcome development".
"Pagkakataon na rin ito ni Co na magpaliwanag at sagutin ang mga alegasyon tungkol sa 2025 budget at maanomalyang flood control projects (This is also Co’s opportunity to explain and respond to the allegations concerning the 2025 budget and the anomalous flood control projects)," Diokno said.
"As the country continues to deal with the consequences of these projects, one thing is clear: hindi nakakalimot ang taumbayan (the people don't forget). May this serve as a reminder that the rule of law must apply to all, including those in power and influence," he added.
The Makabayan bloc trio of Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Assistant Minority Leader Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co are also eagerly anticipating the ex-Committee on Appropriations chairman's return to the Philippines after nearly a year in hiding.
"The reported arrest of former Ako Bicol Representative Elizaldy 'Zaldy' Co finally opens the door for him to face the serious cases filed against him in the Philippines," they said.
"His return must not be reduced to a media spectacle or a convenient ending; it must be the beginning of a full public reckoning over the flood control scam and the broader system of corruption in public works and budgeting," added the militant solons.
They reckoned that Co’s repatriation will also make it possible for him to testify under oath on his previous revelations on the flood control projects corruption scandal.

Related Tags

Zaldy Co House of Representatives minority bloc Leila de Lima Chel Diokno Makabayan FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.