'Baseless': Zaldy Co denies kickback claims anew
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol Party-list) has denied claims once again of receiving kickbacks from infrastructure projects through insertions he allegedly made in the national budget since 2022.
Co's name made another appearance in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's flood control investigation on Tuesday, September 23.
Instead of the Discayas, who earlier claimed his name was being used to receive kickbacks from their construction firms, it was former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara who named him this time.
Alcantara, who strongly denied involvement in the alleged kickback scheme, alleged that Co made roughly P35 billion worth of insertions in the national budget for Bulacan First District's projects from 2022 to 2025.
He said these were done from the National Expenditure Program to the bicameral conference committee and the unprogrammed allocations.
Alcantara claimed Co sought a 20% commission from Bulacan's projects, adding that around P519 million in cold cash had been given to Co in 2022.
Former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez also claimed Co met with Alcantara at a hotel to receive P1 billion in cash stuffed in 20 pieces of luggage.
Co, who is reportedly in the United States for medical treatment, blatantly denied these claims.
"The allegations made against me during today’s Senate hearing are false and baseless. I reserve my right to respond to these allegations at the proper time before the proper forum," he told reporters through his staff in a message.
While Co is still abroad, House Speaker Bojie Dy has already revoked his travel clearance and ordered the lawmaker to return to the Philippines within 10 days. He also faces a complaint before the ethics committee for the alleged budget insertions and his contractor ties.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is also expected to lodge indirect bribery and malversation charges against Co. The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has also issued a freeze order on his and other implicated lawmakers' assets while the investigation is ongoing.
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