BUTUAN CITY – Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco has criticized the resignation of former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co, calling it insufficient amid ongoing allegations linking him to anomalous flood control projects. Tiangco argued that Co should return to the Philippines and face the accusations, rather than issuing a resignation letter and a statement from abroad. He pointed out that Co’s decision to resign and hide overseas instead of addressing the charges could be seen as a tacit admission of guilt.
“Kung hindi niya haharapin ang mga alegasyon, this can be interpreted as a tacit admission of guilt,” Tiangco said, stressing that accountability must be upheld and that Co should not have the discretion to decide when he would return.
Co submitted his resignation on September 29, 2025, citing a “real, direct, grave and imminent threat” to his life and the lives of his family members, along with a denial of his right to due process. He made his resignation public through a letter to House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, which was also posted on Facebook.
The resignation comes as Co faces multiple allegations, including accepting kickbacks from flood control projects, making questionable budget insertions in the 2025 national budget, and having connections to Sunwest Inc., a contractor involved in government infrastructure projects. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has recommended filing graft and malversation charges against Co and several officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In response to Co’s resignation, the House dropped an ethics complaint against him, but Speaker Dy emphasized that resignation does not absolve him of accountability. Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla warned that Co could be considered a fugitive if he continues to evade the charges.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has also requested Interpol to monitor Co’s movements internationally, and his travel clearance was revoked. Co, reportedly abroad for medical treatment, has not met the deadline to return to the country, with his last known location being Spain.
