Palace to Zaldy Co: Better to explain your side

Malacañang on Tuesday called on resigned Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co to answer the allegations against him in relation to alleged anomalous flood control projects. 

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing that it would be better if the controversial lawmaker would explain his side.

''Mas mainam na maipaliwanag ang kanyang side,'' Castro said.

(It would be better if he explained his side.)

Castro also emphasized that Co could not run away from these issues. 

"Kung magkakaroon man siya ng kasong maisasampa, hindi po niya ito maiiwasan. Hindi po niya ito matatakbuhan. So, mas maganda po rito kung siya man po ay masasampahan ng kaso, ipaglaban na lang niya ang kanyang karapatan at ipaglaban ang katotohanan nang naaayon sa kanyang mga ebidensya,'' Castro said.

(If cases will be filed against him, he can't hide from this. He can't run away from this. So, it's better that he fight for his rights and for the truth in accordance with the pieces of evidence that he has.) 

"Definitely dapat niya po itong sagutin, dahil kung hindi niya po ito masasagot at iiwasan niya, lalabas lamang po siyang guilty, so mas mainam po na maipaliwanag niya ang kanyang side," she added.

(If his name is being dragged, he definitely needs to answer this because if he does not answer, it can be construed that he is guilty, so it's better that he explain his side.) 

Co on Monday quit as a member of the House of Representatives amid allegations of massive corruption in connection with flood control projects and insertions in the national budget.

He has repeatedly denied that he is involved in corruption.

“All I can tell you now is that the accusations being made against me are false. In due time, I will give my statements on the matter. At present, I can only stay silent to protect my family and myself. We are in grave danger,” Co said in his letter to Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III dated September 29. 

Co's resignation comes in the wake of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recommending to the Ombudsman the possible filing of graft, malversation, and falsification charges against him and several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Oriental Mindoro.

The ICI recommendation was related to the P289.5 million road dike project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

ICI executive director Brian Hosaka said the DPWH in Region IV-B implemented the flood management project through contractor Sunwest Inc., which has links to Co.

Co has denied receiving money from the government’s flood control projects, saying he planned to return to the country to clear his name of the allegations. 

Last week, the DPWH requested the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze Co and his family’s P4.3 billion worth of air assets amid a government crackdown on supposed ill-gotten assets of personalities linked to the flood control projects mess. —VAL, GMA Integrated News