Luxury car linked to Zaldy Co registered under different owner

The Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (HPG) on Monday said at least one luxury vehicle confiscated from former House appropriations chairperson and resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co was found to have spurious documentation.

HPG Director Hansel Marantan disclosed during a press briefing at Camp Crame that a Ferrari sports car, light metallic blue in color and bearing plate number CC 455B, was registered with the Land Transportation Office under a different owner.

Marantan said macro-etching conducted on the vehicle showed that its markings did not match those of the Ferrari unit officially registered with the LTO. The sports car has an estimated street value of about P37 million.

"Hindi mo magagamit sa labas, so kailangan mo ng plaka," Marantan said, referring to the supposed use of a license plate on the vehicle.

Speaking to the Daily Tribune after the briefing, Marantan said authorities suspect the Ferrari carried a “kambal plaka,” a scheme allegedly involving the duplication of plate numbers, often linked to car theft or smuggling operations with the help of corrupt insiders.

Marantan also disclosed that another vehicle under HPG custody, a Lexus hybrid model, carries clearance under the name of Mylene Resinto Co, identified as the former lawmaker’s wife based on Daily Tribune research. Meanwhile, a GMC Cadillac vehicle seized by authorities was found to have no documentation.

He said car dealers from whom Co allegedly acquired the luxury vehicles are cooperating with investigators as authorities look deeper into how the vehicles were obtained.

"Pinasa ko na bola sa LTO (for) verification sa Ferrari," Marantan said, adding that authorities are still tracking down at least 10 more luxury vehicles allegedly linked to the former congressman.