MANILA, Philippines – Idineklara na ng Sandiganbayan si dating House appropriations panel chairperson at Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co na “fugitive from justice” at ipinag-utos ang kanselasyon ng kanyang pasaporte sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Sa resolusyong inilabas nitong Disyembre 10, sinabi ng Sandiganbayan na nakapagtatag ang prosekusyon ng Ombudsman ng pattern of non-compliance and avoidance na nagpapakita ng hangarin ni Co na takasan ang pananagutan nito sa bansa.
Si Co at 16 iba pa ay nahaharap sa reklamong malversation at graft sa Sandiganabayan kaugnay ng P289 milyong substandard road dike project sa Oriental Mindoro.
“Accused Co resigned instead of complying with the House of Representatives’ order to return to the country; he refused to comply with subpoenas from the ICI and he did not file a counter-affidavit with the Office of the Ombudsman,” sinabi ng Sandiganbayan.
“It must be emphasized that the accused left the country at the time when investigations into alleged corruption in flood control projects were active and when formal charges against him were imminent,” dagdag pa.
Sinabi rin na ang napapanahong paglipad ni Co ay nagpapakita ng sufficient ground para sa “reasonable inference that his action constituted a deliberate attempt to flee from justice.”
“From the foregoing, the court finds that the factual circumstances presented warrant the cancellation of accused Co’s passport. This measure is deemed both appropriate and necessary to facilitate the enforcement of the duly issued warrant of arrest and mandate the accused’s surrender to the jurisdiction of the court,” ayon pa sa Sandiganbayan.
Sa hiwalay na resolusyon, ipinag-utos din ng Sandiganbayan ang kanselasyon ng mga pasaporte nina Aderma Angelie Alcazar, Cesar Buenaventura at Noel Cao, mga Director ng Sunwest Inc. na contractor ng P289 million substandard road dike project sa Oriental Mindoro, sa kaparehong dahilan na layon ng mga itong takasan ang mga reklamong isinampa laban sa kanila.
“Given the facts presented – a judicially issued warrant of arrest and HDO (Hold Departure Order), extensive publicity, and the failure of diligent efforts to serve warrants because the accused cannot be located and their whereabouts remain unknown – accused’s actions of remaining at-large strongly suggest that they are actively avoiding the court’s jurisdiction to prevent arrest and prosecution. By consciously choosing to remain at large and not presenting themselves to the authorities, accused Alcazar, Buenaventura and Cao are evading the legal process,” saad sa resolusyon ng Sandiganbayan.
“The prosecution having sufficiently established grounds to declare accused Alcazar, Buenaventura and Cao fugitives from justice, the cancellation of their passports under the provisions of R.A. No. 11983 is warranted. Further, considering that said accused are now considered fugitives from justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs is ordered to immediately cancel the Philippine Passport of accused Aderma Angelie D. Alcazar, Cesar Z. Buenaventura, and Noel Y. Cao,” dagdag pa.
Kamakailan ay inanunsyo ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na kinansela na ang pasaporte ni Co.
Si Co, na nagtungo sa ibang bansa para umano magpagamot, ay hindi na bumalik sa bansa kasabay ng nagpapatuloy na imbestigasyon sa budget insertions at flood control projects.
Sa kabila nito ay iginiit niyang inosente siya sa lahat ng mga alegasyon laban sa kanya.
Samantala, sa pahayag ay sinabi ng DFA na nakumpleto na ang proseso ng kanselasyon ng pasaporte ni Co.
“According to the resolution of the Sandiganbayan today, the 10th of December 2025, and the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Department of Foreign Affairs has cancelled the passport of former Ako Bikol Partylist Representative Elizaldy Salcedo Co,” ayon sa DFA. RNT/JGC
