The House of Representatives has confirmed that Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co is currently in the United States, reportedly seeking medical treatment.
House spokesperson Princess Abante made the announcement on Thursday, September 4, following a Rappler report that detailed Co’s repeated absences in the 20th Congress and cited sources claiming he had left the country.
Co, who has drawn public attention for his links to major flood control contractors Sunwest and Hi-Tone—companies previously named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—is being sought by fellow lawmakers to appear before an ongoing congressional inquiry. Legislators want him to shed light on the adjustments made by the bicameral conference committee to the proposed 2025 national budget.
As chair of the House appropriations panel in the 19th Congress, Co led the chamber’s team in the bicameral deliberations. His absence has fueled calls for accountability, with lawmakers stressing the need for his testimony in the investigation into flood control projects.
