DOJ doesn’t expect Zaldy Co to reach out; tells him to ‘face the music’

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday said he doesn't expect former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co to reach out to authorities amid the probe into his supposed links to anomalous flood control projects, adding that it is inevitable for Co to become a "fugitive." 

“Hindi magpaparamdam ‘yun. He will be a fugitive. Eh, wala eh. Diba ganyan talaga? Kapag may problema ang tao, lumayas, may problema ‘yun,” Remulla said in a press briefing.

(He will not reach out. He will be a fugitive. Isn't that how it goes? If a person has a problem, and they leave, then that becomes a problem.)

“So far hindi naman siya fugitive, pero ganoon ang magiging status niya later on. Inevitable ‘yun,” he added.

(Right now he’s not a fugitive, but that will become his status later on. That’s inevitable.) 

He issued the remark after Co resigned as a member of the House of Representatives, saying there was “real, direct, grave and imminent threat” to him and his family as well as the “evident denial” of his rights to due process.

The National Bureau of Investigation has recommended the prosecution of Co and other government officials.

According to the Department of Justice, this stemmed from the sworn testimonies of Engineer Henry Alcantara, Engineer Brice Hernandez, Engineer Jaypee Mendoza, and former (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

Alcantara said he worked with Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo in supposedly giving commissions off flood control projects to the camps of Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Bong Revilla, and Co. 

Bernardo later made a similar statement to the Senate.

Remulla said he expected the resignation and told Co to face the music.

“Harapin mo ‘yung charges and if you say that you are innocent then due process is always here,” Remulla said in a briefing.

(Face the charges and if you say that you are innocent then due process is here.)

He said that Co is still in Spain.

For their part, the senators have denied the allegations against them.

Meanwhile, Remulla said that the DOJ will investigate the remarks of Orly Guteza, the  the "surprise witness" who claimed that he delivered money for former Speaker Martin Romualdez and Co.

“That already stands as his statement under oath in the senate record. it’s an official statement. So we will be working on that also,” Remulla said.

According to the DOJ, Guteza was expected to meet with Remulla over the weekend but did not show up.

Remulla said Guteza has yet to reach out to the department.

“I will try to talk to Mike Defensor to have him come over because Mike Defensor is supposed to have handled Guteza along the way and Mike Defensor is a good friend also,” he said.

He said the DOJ can also ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate reports that the lawyer who supposedly issued the affidavit denied notarizing or preparing the document.

“We can ask the NBI to investigate that. Ipapa-subpoena natin ‘yung notarial, ‘yung lawyer, at we will ano— we will ask the right questions,” he said. — BM, GMA Integrated News