As the probe into the multibillion-peso flood control scam nears completion, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed that the government will cancel the passport of former Ako Bicol Partylist representative Zaldy Co once authorities file charges against him.
He said on Thursday, November 13, that the government will immediately revoke Co’s passport once criminal charges are formally filed over the alleged anomalies.
Co resigned from the House of Representatives in September after authorities linked him to alleged kickbacks from ghost and overpriced flood control projects. He has stayed abroad and, through his lawyer, said he will not return soon due to alleged threats to his life.
Marcos explained that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) cannot revoke Co’s passport yet because no formal case exists. “That is a legal matter,” he said, noting that the agency must wait for the proper basis before taking action.
He emphasized, however, that the government “will immediately cancel” Co’s passport once authorities file charges.
Go to jail
Republic Act 11983, or the New Philippine Passport Act, allows the DFA to cancel or revoke a passport only if someone obtained it fraudulently, tampered with it, or received it erroneously; or upon a court order when authorities convict the holder of a criminal offense or declare them a fugitive from justice.
Marcos said government lawyers are finalizing complaints and that authorities will send those responsible for the misuse of funds to jail.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Commission on Audit (COA), and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) have filed multiple complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against more than a dozen officials and contractors accused of rigging bids and implementing ghost projects.
Marcos created the ICI to fast-track the investigation into the flood control fund scam, which he first revealed during his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The commission investigates systemic corruption in infrastructure spending and recommends reforms to strengthen oversight.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.