Zaldy Co in US for medical treatment

MANILA, Philippines — One of the key legislators who can shed light on spurious insertions in the 2025 national budget is reportedly in the United States seeking medical treatment.

Insiders in the chamber begged off, however, from making any categorical statement on why former House appropriations committee chairman and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has become scarce as investigation on anomalous flood control projects continues.

Some of his House colleagues have long wanted him to face scrutiny about alleged insertions in the 2025 national budget, as well as the inclusion of Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. (SCDC) in flood control projects.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, a vocal critic of Co, has been pressuring the House leadership to invite and summon him to shed light on his discovery that two districts benefitted from a P39-billion alleged insertion.

Unlike in the previous 19th Congress, where Co has been vocal about various issues, the administration congressman has been relatively silent since the 20th Congress opened in July 28 this year.

But as early as August 2022, the former president of the 64-member Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. issued a statement that he had “divested all my interests in Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. in 2019.”

What was supposed to be an inquiry into the highly anomalous flood control projects of the government turned out to be a clash among opposition and administration lawmakers, aimed at digging deeper into alleged budget insertions in the past Congress.

Administration Rep. Benny Abante vehemently “objected” to the motion of opposition Rep. Edgar Erice, seconded by independent Rep. Isidro Ungab, to invite Co.

“We should invite Rep. Co and former senator Grace Poe because these insertions were done during their time in the bicameral conference committee for the 2025 national budget,” Erice, a congressman from Caloocan City, suggested to the House public accounts committee led by Rep. Terry Ridon.

Poe, whose last term as senator ended last June, used to head the Senate committee on finance.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said House members investigating anomalous flood control projects could face sanctions if they fail to disclose conflicts of interest. – EJ Macababbad