NEWLY elected House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III has revoked the travel clearance issued to Ako Bicol party-list Representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, directing him to return to the Philippines within 10 days.
In a letter addressed to Co dated September 18, Dy said the revocation takes immediate effect.
“This revocation is issued in the paramount interest of the public and due to the existence of pressing national matters requiring your physical presence,” the letter read.
“In the exigency of service, you are hereby DIRECTED to return to the Philippines within 10 calendar days from your receipt of this notice. Your immediate return is necessary to address the aforementioned matters with urgency,” it added.
Dy warned that failure to comply with the order will be construed as refusal to submit to the lawful processes of the House of Representatives, which may result in disciplinary and legal action.
The House earlier said Co traveled to the United States for medical treatment. He has not attended sessions since Congress resumed on July 28.
Co, now on his third term, previously chaired the House Appropriations Committee in the 19th Congress before resigning in January 2025 for health reasons.
He is facing allegations of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects and making insertions in the 2025 national budget.
During the opening of the House Joint Committees on Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways, and Good Government and Public Accountability inquiry into the anomalous flood control projects in the country, Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco called for the panel to invite Co in the proceedings.
Tiangco accused Co of pushing for the inclusion of billions worth of infrastructure projects under the P6.3 trillion national budget for 2025.
Co co-founded Sunwest Inc., a construction firm that has secured dozens of government flood control projects since July 2022.
His brother, former lawmaker Christopher Co, co-founded Hi‑Tone Construction & Development Corp., another major contractor linked to the projects.
Sunwest Inc. and Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp. were among the top 15 construction companies that cornered the most number of flood control projects from 2022 to 2025.
Co has denied allegations linking him to anomalous flood control projects. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)