All 13 aircraft linked to Zaldy Co can't change hands, says CAAP
MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines sought to assure the public on Thursday, October 30, that the three aircraft linked to former lawmaker Elizaldy Co, which had left the country before the government could move to seize them, cannot be sold or re-registered abroad.
The Philippines is also currently working with aviation authorities in Malaysia and Singapore to "monitor" Co's three air assets, CAAP Director General Raul Del Rosario said. But how quickly these can be retrieved will depend on the outcome of pending forfeiture proceedings.
"The important thing here is that those helicopters or airplanes cannot be sold. Even if they're in Singapore or Malaysia, they cannot be sold," Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said at a press conference Thursday alongside Del Rosario.
"At the right time, when the government recovers them through the various legal cases that the Solicitor General will file, they will be recovered wherever they are in the world," Dizon added.
Del Rosario said the CAAP has identified a total of 13 aircraft — including helicopters and fixed-wing planes — belonging to companies with ties to Co. CAAP had shared the list of air assets with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) amid the ongoing flood control corruption probe.
The CAAP director general explained that the three air assets were able to slip out of the country due to the absence of an official investigation at the time of their flight.
“So far, three aircraft — two helicopters and one Gulfstream jet — flew out of the country as early as August 16, August 20, and September 11,” Del Rosario said. “At that time, there was no official investigation yet. One of them flew out on a medical evacuation mission, while the two others went to Malaysia and Singapore.”
The government was supposed to seize Co's three air assets after Dizon asked authorities to freeze nearly P5 billion worth of Co's assets. The former lawmaker has been linked to anomalous budget insertions in the flood control corruption scandal, particularly because of his role as former chairperson of the powerful House appropriations committee.
On Thursday, Del Rosario said the CAAP has been monitoring the movements of the three air assets since they departed and remains in touch with aviation authorities in Singapore and Malaysia.
"We are coordinating with the civil aviation authorities and asking their help in monitoring, because as of now, that is the only action we can take," the CAAP director general said in mixed English and Filipino.
Co's remaining 10 aircraft are still in the Philippines and cannot leave without filing flight plans with the CAAP. All are "being monitored," Del Rosario said.
Registration on hold
The CAAP has placed a hold on the deregistration of all 13 aircraft, which blocks any attempt to sell or transfer them, Dizon said.
"Nakahold lahat ng registration ng mga assets na yan (Registration of all assets are placed on hold)," Dizon said.
When asked about the status of Co's 10 remaining air assets, Dizon said it was up to the AMLC to issue any freeze orders. “That’s for AMLA to disclose. Here in the executive department, we just follow orders of courts," the DPWH secretary added.
Del Rosario said that once the courts issue forfeiture orders, the CAAP will coordinate the return of the aircraft to the Philippines, to be escorted by official CAAP flight inspectors.
Co himself was not aboard any of the three aircraft that recently left the country, based on flight plans and passenger manifests, the CAAP director general said.
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