Manila, Philippines – Fugitive ex-Rep. Zaldy Co, a central figure in the flood control contracts investigation, wanted to testify against President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. should the impeachment complaint prosper in Congress, a former lawmaker said on Friday, Jan. 23.
Ex-Rep. Mike Defensor said he has direct communication with Co, whom he said supports his group’s impeachment complaint – one of its grounds anchored on the supposed corruption scheme to channel multibillion pesos in public funds into bogus flood control contracts.
“Nung malaman ni Zaldy Co na magfa-file ng impeachment complaint at lalo’t malaman niya na na-block, he is willing to testify to enhance the impeachment complaint we have filed,” Defensor told a press briefing in Quezon City, adding that Co’s earlier bid to testify before the Senate blue ribbon committee has been nixed.
“Very critical yung kanya… personal knowledge yung kanya. Nag-deliver siya nung sa 25 billion, nagdeliver siya sa Tamarind ng 800 and 200 million,” Defensor added.
[TRANSLATION: “When Zaldy Co learned that we will file an impeachment complaint especially when it was blocked, he is willing to testify to enhance the impeachment complaint we have filed,” Defensor told a press briefing in Quezon City, adding that Co’s earlier bid to testify before the Senate blue ribbon committee has been nixed.
His personal knowledge makes him a critical witness. He delivered 25 billion, then in Tamarind Street another 800 and 200 million pesos.]
Co, who faces an arrest warrant with other public works officials, remains at large but reports on Friday cited him cooped up in a gated community in Lisbon, Portugal.
He will appear in the witness stand once the impeachment complaint reaches the House committee on justice, Defensor said.
That complaint, however, was rejected by the staff of the Office of the House Secretary General who said they have no authority to accept the suit while their boss is in Taiwan for an awarding ceremony.
Counsels for this third group of petitioners seeking the removal of Marcos from office said they will sue House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil for constitutional violation.
“In the constitutional sense, we have already submitted a complaint. May constitutional violation si Secretary General Garafil,” counsel for the petitioners Antonio Luna told the same briefing.
“So whether we left a copy or did not, we already tendered the submission of our complaint. Now the ball is in the hands of Garafil. And we will file charges against her,” he added.
