Resigned Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co was called by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to return to the country and face allegations of corruption following his recent resignation from the House of Representatives.
The statement of the Department of Justice chief comes as Co faces a complaint for graft and falsification of legislative documents filed with the Office of the Ombudsman.
The complaint, filed by the Citizens Crime Watch, alleges that Co, along with other lawmakers, was involved in over P241 billion in illegal “insertions” in the 2025 national budget.
Remulla said, ”You need to face the charges. And if you say you are innocent, then due process is always here.”
However, instead of facing the House of Representatives, Co resigned from the chamber after being implicated in kickbacks from flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
His resignation came on the day Speaker Faustino Dy III set as the deadline for him to come home and face the allegations against him.
In his resignation letter, Co said there were threats to him and his family, and also lamented that he has been denied his right to due process of law.
“On account of the real, direct, grave and imminent threat to the lives of my family members and me, and the evident denial of my right to due process of law, I am constrained to tender with immediate effect my irrevocable resignation as a member of the House of Representatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, Remulla said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will invite at least 17 members of the House of Representatives to appear before them as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged flood control scandal.
The investigation was initiated based on the sworn statements of contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya, who testified during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.
They accused the lawmakers and several officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of demanding kickbacks in exchange for government projects.
Remulla said that the NBI will first invite the congressmen for an interview to validate the allegations in the Discayas’ affidavit.
Those who were named by the contractors in their affidavit during the Senate hearing are: Cong. Roman Romulo (Pasig City), Cong. Jojo Ang (Usbag Ilongo Partylist), Cong. Patrick Michael Vargas (Quezon City), Cong. Juan Carlos Arjo Atayde (Quezon City), Cong. Nicanor “Nikki” Briones (Agap Partylist), Cong. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro (Marikina), Cong. Florida Robes (San Jose del Monte, Bulacan), Cong. Leandro Jesus Madrona (Romblon), Cong. Benjamin “Benjie” Agarao Jr. (Laguna), Cong. Florencio Gabriel “Bem” Noel (An Waray Partylist), Cong. Leody “Ode” Tariela (Occidental Mindoro), Cong. Reynante “Reynan” Arrogancia (Quezon City), Cong. Marvin Rillo (Quezon City), Cong. Teodoro Jaresco (Aklan), Cong. Antonieta Yudela (Zamboanga Sibugay), Cong. Dean Asisio (Caloocan), and Cong. Marivic Co Pilar (Quezon City).