The House of Representatives is set to hold deliberations to weigh possible actions to ensure Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co’s compliance with the 10-day window to return to the Philippines.
This development came on the heels of the embattled lawmaker's travel clearance being revoked on the order of newly elected Speaker Bojie Dy, who warned that non-compliance may result in disciplinary and legal actions.
In a chance interview on Monday, Dy said there has been no significant development on Co yet, as the 10-day period is still running.
However, he ensured that the House leadership would coordinate with the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to discuss proactive measures to secure Co’s strict compliance with the chamber’s directive and ensure that he returns to the country amid the ongoing investigation into the flood control projects.
“There is no [update] yet, but maybe let’s wait first since we gave him ten days,” the House chief told reporters in Filipino. “Perhaps the leadership, especially the ethics chair, will discuss what else can be done to ensure that Congressman Zaldy Co returns home.”
Co flew to the United States to seek “medical treatment,” just as a scandal involving alleged fraudulent flood control projects was starting to unfold.
The House media has been confirming whether the Bicolano lawmaker had already received Dy’s order released Thursday, but his office has yet to respond.
There is no definite date as to how long Co has been in the US. Official records show he was absent from the House from 28 July to 6 August, with some days without prior notice. He later attended committee meetings from 11 to 27 August.
Co is facing grave accusations related to anomalous flood control and alleged billions worth of insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno explicitly tagged Co and Senate President Chiz Escudero as the culprits behind the “last-minute” insertions in this year’s budget that allegedly saw infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways’ allocation ballooning to approximately 20,000.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco also threw similar accusations at Co, accusing him of being the proponent of ₱13.8 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 GAA under the provinces of Abra, Bukidnon, Oriental Mindoro, and Sarangani, among others—primarily for flood control projects.
Co was the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations and head of the House panel to the bicameral conference committee in the 19th Congress, which oversaw and finalized the 2025 GAA, dubbed as the “most corrupt” budget in the history of Congress.
Co has also been in hot water over his alleged role in the flood control scandal. His former construction firm, Sunwest Inc., was named one of the top 15 contractors that cornered ₱100 billion worth of government contracts nationwide from June 2022 to May this year.
The figure represents 20 percent of the ₱545.64 billion allotted to flood control projects since President Marcos Jr. assumed office.
The Bicolano lawmaker claimed he had long divested from the construction firm when he entered Congress in 2019, but official documents stated otherwise.
A review of the list of flood control projects on the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website showed that Sunwest had secured nearly 80 projects from 7 July 2022 to 1 May 2025, amounting to around ₱10 billion.
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 for flood control projects.
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.