THE Department of Justice (DOJ) will tap the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for the issuance of a blue notice on Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizalde “Zaldy” Co, who is accused of pocketing billions of pesos in kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects.
Palace press officer Claire Castro made the statement in a press conference Friday, September 26, 2025.
An Interpol blue notice is an international police alert used to gather additional information about a person’s identity, location, or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
DOJ spokesperson Miko Clavano said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has already given instructions to request the issuance of a blue notice, based on the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation and the recommendation of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a case build-up against Co in relation to his alleged role in the flood control scandal.
Several former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials earlier tagged Co as among the recipients of billions in kickbacks from flood control projects, particularly in the Bulacan First District engineering office.
Co left for the United States (US) in August, but based on US immigration records, departed the country on September 13.
In a statement, Co expressed apprehension about returning to the Philippines to debunk the “false claims” against him in court, saying he had already been prejudged in the court of public opinion.
He denied the allegations, particularly those involving alleged insertions in the 2025 national budget and the receipt of kickbacks from DPWH projects.
Castro maintained that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has nothing to do with the flood control project anomalies.
“Opo, dahil hindi po maglalakas ng loob ang Pangulo na siya pa mismo ang magpapaimbestiga kung alam niya sa sarili niya na mayroon siyang maling ginawa,” she said.
(Yes, because the President would not have the courage to initiate an investigation himself if he knew he had done something wrong.)
Some personalities have blamed Marcos over the flood control corruption issues, saying he signed into law the 2025 General Appropriations Act despite its deficiencies and questionable entries.
“Unang-una po, pinirmahan po niya 'yan, may mga na-veto, inaral po 'yan ng economic team at nandoon po ang kanyang paniniwala sa mga isinasaad at sinasabi ng kanyang Cabinet secretaries,” Castro said.
(First of all, he signed it, there were vetoes, and it was studied by the economic team. He trusted the recommendations and findings of his Cabinet secretaries.)
“So with that, naipakita 'yung supposed to be projects at 'yan po ay kanyang pinirmahan sa paniniwalang 'yan ay gagawin,” she added.
(So with that, the supposed projects were presented, and he signed it believing they would be implemented.)
During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on September 8, Marcos instructed Remulla to look into the amendments made by the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2025 General Appropriations Act, considering that funding for his flagship programs had been removed.
Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco said Co served as proponent of more than P13.8 billion in insertions in the 2025 national budget. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)