House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno has called for the return of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co to the Philippines, stressing that he should be brought back “forcibly if necessary” to face the corruption allegations tied to the controversial 2025 budget.
Co, who is reportedly in the United States, has been accused of inserting billions of pesos into the national budget for flood control and infrastructure projects now under scrutiny. He has denied any wrongdoing.
As the former chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Co has been invited by the House Committee on Infrastructure to answer questions in its ongoing inquiry. But Puno warned the matter has already gone beyond Congress hearings.
“This is not a legislative inquiry issue anymore, I think this is a criminal thing. Cases have to be filed,” Puno said in an interview with ANC. “I hope that cases will be filed and people will be jailed.”
The deputy speaker also raised the possibility of extradition, citing the country’s treaty with the United States. “Initial reports [say] that he was in the US. And I saw some posts where he is supposed to be in a house, he changed his name, and things like that. But in the US, we can extradite people, and what is important now is cases need to be filed,” he explained.
The Philippines and the US maintain an extradition treaty that allows the return of individuals charged or convicted of crimes. Puno emphasized that the focus now should be on filing cases to ensure accountability in the widening flood control scandal.
