The House of Representatives has revoked the travel clearance of Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, giving him only ten days to return to the Philippines in light of the ongoing investigation into the alleged corruption scheme in the flood control projects.
The order, issued by newly elected Speaker Bojie Dy on Thursday, is effective immediately, warning that failure to comply may result in disciplinary and legal actions."
"This revocation is issued in the paramount interest of the public and due to the existence of pressing national matters requiring your physical presence,” the letter read, adding that Co’s strict compliance is necessary to address the issue with urgency.
Co left the country for the United States to seek “medical treatment,” just as questions about his role in spurious multi-billion-peso flood control projects began to mount.
Deputy Speaker Janette Garin bared that Co really intends to fly back to the country but fears for safety and security due to alleged threats.
“Once this has been ironed out and he returns, he will respond to the allegations and he will fully disclose his knowledge of how this happened,” Garin said in an interview.
“If there is accountability, we’ll leave it to the ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) and the proper authorities to look into this.”
The embattled lawmaker has been at the center of intense scrutiny involving the flood control scandal after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named Sunwest Inc., formerly Sunwest Construction and Development Corporation, in the top 15 contractors that cornered P100 billion worth of government contracts nationwide from June 2022 to May this year.
The figure represents 20 percent of the entire P545.64 billion allotted for the project since Marcos assumed office.
The Albay-based Sunwest was established in 1997 and co-founded by Co.
The Bicolano lawmaker claimed he had long divested in the construction firm when he entered Congress in 2019, but official documents state otherwise.
A review of the list of flood control projects on the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website shows that Sunwest had 76 projects from 7 July 2022 to 1 May 2025, amounting to billions of pesos.
Co is also among 19 House lawmakers, including former speaker Martin Romualdez, who are being accused of receiving 10 to 25 percent kickbacks from big-time contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya in exchange for government contracts.
Curlee later clarified that he had no direct dealings with Romualdez and Co, saying that their colleagues asking for commissions may be using their names to gain leverage.
Aside from the flood control scheme, Co is also being accused of being the culprit behind the alleged billions worth of last-minute insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act, particularly for infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways. He denied the allegations.
Co is the chairperson of the House committee on appropriations in the 19th Congress, who co-headed the bicameral conference committee and the so-called committee with former senator Grace Poe.