Here’s the statement of Zaldy Co about the latest accusation against him.
Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co denied the latest accusations linking him to the infrastructure kickback controversy.
House Speaker Faustino Dy III has formally revoked the travel clearance of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co. He was then ordered to return to the country within 10 days. In the statement issued on September 18, he was informed that his travel clearance for his personal trip was revoked effective immediately.
During the continuing hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, former Bulacan 1st assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez confessed to delivering PHP 1 billion worth of money placed in suitcases to a staffer of Co.
“Nag-deliver din po kami ng pera pero hindi po directly sa kanya… Hindi po namin directly nakita si Cong. Zaldy. Ang pinakausap po sa amin, ‘yung tao niya pong pangalan ay Paul,” he said, and added, “Maraming maleta po ng pera ‘yun, Your Honor. Tingin ko po, bilyon po ‘yun.”
The money was scattered in over 20 suitcases, and in each suitcase, there’s an estimated amount of PHP 50 million inside. Around six to seven vans carried the suitcases to a hotel in Taguig City.
With the recent accusations hurled at Co, he released a statement denying them. The statement was issued by his office, and he insisted that those were “false and baseless.” He added, “I reserve my right to respond to these allegations at the proper time before the proper forum.”
Sacked DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara claimed that he had delivered at least PHP 8.75 billion to Co as part of his 25-percent share from the total cost of flood control projects that he allegedly helped finance as the “proponent.”
Co accordingly received kickbacks from the budget insertions that funded infrastructure projects in Bulacan, Tarlac, and Pampanga.
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