Pressure is mounting on Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co to return home and face questions—not just from Congress but from an independent body tasked with uncovering the truth behind alleged multibillion-peso anomalies in flood control projects.
Co, who currently chairs the House Committee on Appropriations, has been at the center of controversy after allegations surfaced that he inserted billions into the 2025 national budget. He is presently in the United States, reportedly for medical treatment, but House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has revoked his travel clearance and ordered him to return within ten days.
For several lawmakers, Co’s homecoming should not mean a return to the familiar comfort of congressional hearings. Instead, they insist that the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI)—the body formed to dig into the “ghost” and substandard flood projects that have enraged the public—must be where Co answers tough questions under oath.
Rep. Chel Diokno of Akbayan stressed that this is not simply about legislative oversight. “This is an opportunity for Congressman Co to explain himself in a forum where accountability is real, and excuses cannot hide behind politics. The people deserve clarity on these alleged insertions,” Diokno said.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, who earlier accused Co of pushing P13.8 billion in questionable allocations, echoed the call. “The House cannot just be the stage for explanations. The Independent Commission is the proper venue. That’s where sworn testimony is possible—and that’s where truth matters most,” Tiangco said.
House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin also signaled support for letting the ICI take the lead, saying the House probe may soon be terminated to avoid duplication. “We cannot afford competing investigations when the public’s anger is boiling. There has to be one credible process.”
The move reflects a shift in the House leadership under Dy, who has vowed not to shield anyone from accountability. His swift action to cancel Co’s travel authority has been praised by reform-minded lawmakers as a sign of seriousness in addressing corruption allegations.
Still, questions remain. What happens if Co refuses to come back within the deadline? Dy has warned of disciplinary and even legal actions, but skeptics note that past scandals often faded without closure. Meanwhile, the Independent Commission awaits—with subpoena powers, public hearings, and the political spotlight ready to test whether the fight against “flood control corruption” will mark a turning point or just another page in the country’s long book of unheeded scandals.
For now, all eyes are on Rep. Zaldy Co. Will he face the commission—and the public he swore to serve—or will this episode become another case where accountability is washed away by the flood?
