Marcos announces Sandiganbayan warrants out for Zaldy Co

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co and others involved in the corruption cases that stemmed from an anomalous flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The issuance of an arrest warrant against Co and 17 others from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Mimaropa and Sunwest Corporation was announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in a video posted on social media on Friday, November 21.

“At ang susunod na hakbang ay wala nang paligoy-ligoy pa. Ang ating mga awtoridad, ay syempre ipapatupad na itong mga arrest warrant. Aarestuhin na sila, ihaharap sa korte at pananagutin sa batas. Walang special na pagtrato, walang sinasanto,” said Marcos.

(The next step is for authorities to implement these arrest warrants. They will be arrested, face the court and answer to the law. There will be no special treatment, no sacred cows.)

Co and fellow accused are facing three corruption-related cases in total.

On November 19, the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft and malversation cases against the accused, and the charges are now pending in the following Sandiganbayan Divisions:

• Fifth Division: Violation of Republic Act (RA) No. 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act section 3(e)
• Seventh Division: Violation of RA No. 3019 section 3(h)
• Sixth Division: Malversation of public funds

Co’s case – the first flood control corruption-related charge that reached the courts – stemmed from the alleged irregularities in the procurement and construction of a flood control project in Mag-asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, amounting to P289,498,230.06.

The former Ako Bicol representative is currently in hot water amid public outrage over the flood control scandal. Co is a longtime contractor, and the construction firm he founded — Sunwest — bagged billions of pesos in projects while he was the House of Representatives’ appropriations committee chair. 

Recently, he accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former House speaker Martin Romualdez of allegedly masterminding the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 budget. Co also accused the President of getting kickbacks, which Malacañang categorically denied. 

With the issuance of the warrant, local authorities may now seek the cancellation of Co’s passport with our courts. Once cancelled, the resigned lawmaker might become an undocumented alien and lose his legal basis to remain in another country.

Another option for the government is to tap the Interpol for the issuance of a Red Notice and help in Co’s arrest overseas.

According to the Interpol, “a Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. It is based on an arrest warrant or court order issued by the judicial authorities in the requesting country. Member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.” – Rappler.com