PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the cancellation of the passport of former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co, who is central to the ongoing government investigation on anomalous flood control projects.
“Ang passport ni Zaldy Co ay kanselado na kaya ininstructionan ko na ang Department of Foreign Affairs at Philippine National Police na makipag-ugnayan sa ating embassies sa iba’t-ibang bansa para tiyakin na hindi maaaring magtago, itong ating hinahabol, na magtago doon sa kanilang bansa, at kung sakali man ay siya ay pupunta roon ay ire-report sa atin para naman maibalik natin siya dito sa Pilipinas,” Marcos said in a video statement.
(Zaldy Co’s passport has been cancelled, so I instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Philippine National Police to coordinate with our embassies in other countries to ensure that the person we are pursuing cannot hide there. If he does go there, he will be reported to us so that we can bring him back to the Philippines.)
Co has a standing arrest warrant along with 15 Department of Public Works and Highways officials and Sunwest Corporation board members, issued by the Sandiganbayan over irregularities in the implementation of a P289 million road dike project in Oriental Mindoro.
The Sunwest Corporation, co-founded by Co, is among the top 15 construction firms that secured 20 percent, or P100 billion worth, of flood control projects in the country from 2022 to 2025.
Co flew to the United States in July for medical treatment and has since refused to return home amid government investigations on flood control anomalies, citing imminent threats against his and his family’s lives.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said Co is believed to be traveling from one country to another using a Portuguese passport.
He said the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has issued a blue notice against Co, alerting international police to gather additional information on his identity, location, or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
A red notice, on the other hand, is a request for law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
Meanwhile, Marcos lauded the surrender of contractor Sarah Discaya amid the looming issuance of an arrest warrant against her over the anomalous P96.5 million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
“Nakikita po natin maganda naman ang takbo ng proseso at ‘yung ating mga hinihinalang kasama sa ganitong klaseng sindikato ay mahaharap sa hustisya,” Marcos said.
(We can see that the process is going well, and those we suspect to be part of this kind of syndicate will face justice.)
“Asahan po ninyo na patuloy pa rin ang ating imbestigasyon, patuloy pa rin ang ating pagpila ng mga kaso upang tiyakin na ang mga guilty dito sa ganitong klaseng eskandalo ay haharap sa batas at bukod jan ay maibalik ang ninakaw na pera sa taongbayan,” he added.
(Rest assured that our investigation continues, and we are still filing cases to ensure that those guilty in this kind of scandal will face the law, and, in addition, the stolen money will be returned to the people.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)