The lawyer of resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co on Wednesday said the lawmaker, who is facing charges arising from the multibillion-peso anomalous flood control projects, is ‘deathly afraid’ to return to the country.
Lawyer Ruy Rondain said he has advised his client not to return to the country yet to face the allegations against him.
“Co does not intend to file a counter-affidavit,” Rondain said, referring to the Ombudsman’s update that its order for Co to file a counter-affidavit has been sent to his last known addresses, but the recipient “refused to accept” the document.
Co, who has been subpoenaed twice by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), left for the US in August to seek medical treatment and is reportedly now in Europe.
He resigned from his position as a member of the House of Representatives on Sept. 29, shortly after he was accused of being among the masterminds in the kickback scheme in the flood control projects.
Meanwhile, Rondain said that Co reported a net worth of P4.1 billion in 2019—the year he was elected to the House of Representatives.
“I can answer that P4.1 billion in 2019. I did some research and who’s a richer senator you know? Mark Villar declared a net worth of P1.4 billion. His mother, Cynthia, declared in 2020 a net worth of P3.8 billion. Next is Manny Pacquiao, P3.1 billion,” the lawyer enumerated.
“So, in 2020, when Rep. Co joined Congress in 2019, he was already richer than Cynthia Villar or Manny Pacquiao. Just to keep it in context,” he added.
The lawyer did not show a copy of Co’s 2019 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) but said he was willing to provide one.
