Philippines Marcos Govt Must Conduct Full Probe Into Flood Control Mess Following Zaldy Co Arrest

2026-04-17 11:46:58

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Anti-corruption groups hailed the reported arrest of a fugitive former legislator identified with the flood control scandal in the Philippines, noting this development may finally shed light on who masterminded the embezzling of hundreds of billions of pesos of public funds.

Former Committee on Appropriations chairperson Zaldy Co, who went into hiding for months, may serve as a key witness in future investigations in the corruption scandal rocking the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said Philippine House of Representatives (HoR) deputy minority leader Rep. Antonio Tinio.

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Co was arrested in Europe on Thursday after attempting to enter the Czech Republic without legal travel documents. Co's Philippine passport had earlier been revoked after refusing to return to the Philippines to face accusations of substandard or 'ghost' flood control projects.

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Marcos himself announced Co's arrest in a social media post on Thursday evening, announcing his government is arranging for the former fugitive's deportation to the Philippines.

What the arrest of Co should lead to?

Tinio's fellow Makabayan (Patriotic) bloc members at the HoR said Co's arrest may finally reveal more facts about how corrupt government officials funded and implemented questionable public works projects.

“His return must not be reduced to a media spectacle or a convenient ending; it must be the beginning of a full public reckoning over the flood control scam and the broader system of corruption in public works and budgeting,” Makabayan underscored.

Can Co implicate Marcos?

Tinio, an activist opposition lawmaker, said the former Duterte and Marcos ally's testimony may be the basis of fresh impeachment proceedings against the sitting president.

“By the time Co is brought back and tells all, the one year (impeachment) bar will have expired and it will be time for another impeachment of Marcos,” Tinio said, hinting of possible initiation of removal proceedings against the Philippine president.

How important is Co in the anti-corruption probe?

Co's repatriation will make it possible for him to testify under oath on his previous revelations regarding the role of Marcos and other high officials in a corruption network that enabled massive budget insertions and anomalous infrastructure allocations, Makabayan said.

The activist lawmakers, who are consistent impeachment endorsers against sitting Philippine presidents for alleged corruption, said Co's revelations on video since he became a fugitive last year should not be brushed aside as mere noise, especially given the scale of public funds involved and the widespread damage caused by substandard or nonexistent flood control projects.

What Co should do?

"Co must face the charges against him, return the money he reportedly stole, and identify his co-conspirators in the massive and shameless systematic stealing of public funds," Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance/ Bayan), the Philippines' biggest alliance of activist groups, said.

Bayan noted Co previously admitted his incriminating role in the delivery of billions of pesos in kickbacks to Marcos and the president's subordinates.

"But the president's allies quickly and maliciously maneuvered to dismiss the allegations and prevent all attempts aimed at investigating the corruption masterminds in government."

“This reflects the persistence of abuse of power and impunity that enabled corrupt officials like Co, Marcos, and Duterte to plunder the national treasury without being held accountable,” Bayan underscored.

Who is Zaldy Co?

Allied with the previous Rodrigo Duterte government when he first became a congressman in June 2019, Co would later be known as the“budget kingmaker” since becoming the appropriations committee chief in Congress in July 2022.

He is being accused of facilitating "budget insertions" on flood control projects that were found substandard or missing.

Co revealed in a series of videos he shared while in hiding the he himself orchestrated the anomalous budget insertions upon orders of Marcos.

Co also admitted he personally facilitated the delivery of kickbacks to Marcos' subordinates worth billions of pesos.

Marcos has since denied Co's allegations.