Co denies trip to The Hague

Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co on Thursday dismissed as “fake news” speculation that he was sent to The Hague by the administration to coordinate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Co, a prominent ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who held a key post in the House of Representatives, categorically denied flying to The Hague in the Netherlands where the ICC is headquartered and interacting with the international tribunal.

“While I confirm that I recently traveled abroad, it was solely for a scheduled personal meeting in Rome and had nothing to do with the ICC,” the Bicolano lawmaker said.

Co said this would be evident from his travel records that show he departed Manila on Emirates Flight EK333 to Dubai on 11 March and proceeded to Rome on Emirates Flight EK0097 the following day.

“Any claims suggesting that I was in The Hague or any location other than Rome are entirely false. I believe this is a concerted effort to divert the public’s attention from the real issue,” he said.

Yesterday, Co also disowned ownership of the Gulfstream G550 private jet that transported Duterte to The Hague.

Co issued the statement after the DAILY TRIBUNE sought clarification from his office following a tip from an unknown sender who said the lawmaker was the “appointed representative” of Marcos to the ICC in connection with Duterte’s case.

Co disowned ownership of the Gulfstream G550 private jet that transported Duterte to The Hague

Co is among the supermajority bloc in the House allied with Marcos. He was formerly chairman of the powerful House committee on appropriations overseeing the government’s annual budget. He relinquished the post in January citing health concerns.

In August last year, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who spearheaded Duterte’s bloody war on drugs, accused Co and Speaker Martin Romualdez of “pressuring” retired and active duty police officials to execute an affidavit which would be submitted to the ICC implicating him and Duterte in the drug war.

Dela Rosa said Romualdez and Co were accompanied by National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Director General Ricardo de Leon and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, whom he claimed was primarily responsible for holding the closed-door meeting with the police officials.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has denied De la Rosa’s allegation.

Dela Rosa, who is implicated in the case against Duterte before the ICC, served as PNP chief from 2016 to mid-2018. He was succeeded by Oscar Albayalde who continued to implement the brutal drug war, which saw more than 6,000 deaths based on government data.

Local and international human rights organizations, however, estimated the actual death toll exceeded 30,000, affecting predominantly low income families and communities.

Human rights lawyer Kristina Conti, ICC assistant to counsel, has projected that Dela Rosa and Albayalde could be the next targets of the ICC following the arrest of their former boss Duterte.