Ako Bicol third nominee to get Zaldy Co’s seat

MANILA, Philippines — Ako Bicol party-list’s third nominee will be getting a congressional seat as a result of Zaldy Co’s resignation due to alleged ties to flood control corruption.

Jan Almario Chan will reportedly take over the party’s second seat in Congress, with Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, the current second nominee, taking over Co’s seat, Garbin told The STAR yesterday.

“Attorney Chan will assume office on Nov. 10,” Garbin said.

There is no information yet whether the party-list has already informed the Commission on Elections of Chan’s inclusion in the congressmen’s roll, and if the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. in the House has already met for purposes of electing Co’s replacement as PCFI president.

Co was forced to relinquish his post last Sept. 29 after Speaker Faustino Dy III issued a 10-day ultimatum for Co to return to the country and answer corruption allegations against him.

Co, in turn, claimed his life was in danger.

“In behalf of the real, direct, grave and imminent 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 my… irrevocable resignation as a member of the House,” Co wrote the Speaker.

Co served as chairman of the House appropriations committee in the 19th Congress that crafted the alleged anomalous national budget for 2025.