Tiangco questions DFA over Zaldy Co's passport

Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco on Friday questioned the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) over its alleged continued inaction on the cancellation of resigned Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co's passport.

Tiangco made the remarks as he reiterated his call for the DFA to cancel Co's passport, which would supposedly compel the party-list lawmaker to return home or prevent him from seeking refuge in a country with which the Philippines does not have an extradition treaty.

"May kapangyarihan sila na kanselahin ang passport. Ang hindi ko maintindihan, bakit tila DFA o ibang mga nasa gobyerno ang nagdedepensa pa kay Zaldy Co kung bakit hindi puwede kanselahin ang passport?" Tiangco told reporters.

(What I don't understand is why it seems like the DFA and other government officials are defending Zaldy Co on why his passport can't be canceled.)

"Hindi ba dapat kanselahin ninyo tapos pabayaan niyo ang abogado niya na kuwestyunin sa korte ang pagkansela?" he said.

(Shouldn't they cancel it and let his lawyer to question it in court?)

Tiangco previously filed an ethics complaint against Co for allegedly violating the Constitution, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials Employees, and House Rules.

The Navotas congressman cited Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) 11983 or the Philippine Passport Act for the motu proprio passport cancellation.

GMA News Online has requested comment from Co's camp, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

Court order

However, the DFA explained that under the new passport law, a court order is required to trigger the cancellation.

"In accordance with the New Philippine Passport Act, the Department of Foreign Affairs may cancel a Philippine passport only  upon the issuance of a court order when the holder is a fugitive from justice or convicted of a criminal offense; or when there is proof that a passport was acquired fraudulently, tampered with, or issued erroneously," the DFA said.

In a separate statement, the DFA said Tiangco's insinuation that it was “lawyering” for Co by not canceling the latter's passport "reflects a misunderstanding of the legal standards governing passport cancellation."

"If Congressman Tiangco has genuine concerns and substantive evidence, he should seek judicial relief, rather than indulge in baseless accusations. Upholding the rule of law, not rhetoric, must remain the compass of public service," the DFA said. 

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla previously said Co was possibly in Spain.

Remulla had said he does not expect Co to return to the country, and that continuous refusal to do so will turn the former congressman into a "fugitive" from justice.

The ICI has recommended the possible filing of graft, malversation, and falsification charges with the Ombudsman against Co and other Department of Public Works and Highways officials over their alleged links to the P289.5-million road dike project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also recommended the prosecution of Co and other senators with the Department of Justice.

Late last month, Co resigned as a member of the House of Representatives, citing "real, direct, grave and imminent threat" to him and his family as well as the "evident denial" of his rights to due process last month.

In a letter to Ako Bicol party-list on the same day, Co said allegations that he pocketed billions of pesos in public funds had conditioned the minds of the the public to condemn and hate him and his family to a point where their lives were now threatened.

He vowed to give statements on the issue "in due time." — VDV/VBL, GMA Integrated News