“Mabigat man sa aking puso, ako’y nagpaabot ng aking pagbibitiw bilang Kinatawan sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso,” Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co announced Monday, Sept. 29, as he tendered his resignation from the House of Representatives.
His decision comes amid mounting calls for him to return from abroad and face allegations involving questionable 2025 budget insertions and a corruption scandal tied to flood control projects.
Co’s resignation letter was received by the office of House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III at 2:35 p.m., and was later shared on Co’s social media just before 4 p.m.
In his post, Co added, “Ang desisyong ito ay hindi naging madali, ngunit ito ay aking tinimbang nang mabuti para sa ikabubuti ng aking pamilya at ng mga taong patuloy kong pinaglilingkuran. Maraming salamat sa pagsuporta.”
The former Committee on Appropriations chairman cited “imminent threat to the lives” of his family and himself as the primary reason for stepping down.
“On account of the real, direct, grave and imminent threat to the lives of my family members and me, and the evident denial of my right to due process of law, I am constrained to tender with immediate effect my irrevocable resignation as a member of the House of Representatives,” Co wrote in his letter.
He added that the Ako Bicol Party-list would soon inform the Speaker’s office of the nominee who will take his place.
Reports indicate that lawyer Jan Chan is next in line on the party-list’s roster.
A letter from Speaker Dy last Friday, Sept. 26 gave Co until Monday, Sept. 29 to return to the Philippines. Failure to comply “shall be construed as a refusal to subject yourself to the lawful processes of the House and will result in the initiation of appropriate disciplinary and legal actions”, Dy said.
With his resignation, the House of Representatives can no longer compel the Bicolano to do anything, unless he is invited to attend an investigation in aid of legislation.
Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco’s ethics complaint against Co is now moot and academic, since the worse penalty that the latter could receive is expulsion from the House. (Ellson Quismorio)
