Camp of ex-Rep. Zaldy Co attempted to blackmail gov’t, Marcos says

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday accused the camp of former lawmaker Elizaldy S. Co of attempting to blackmail the government to stop the cancellation of his passport, saying he would not yield to intimidation amid a widening probe into the alleged multibillion-peso flood control scam.

In a video statement, Mr. Marcos said Mr. Co’s lawyer had approached officials with an offer to withhold a planned video unless authorities reversed the move to cancel his travel document.

“I do not negotiate with criminals,” the President said in mixed English and Filipino. “Even if you release your video of lies to destabilize the government, your passport will still be canceled. You cannot escape justice.”

Mr. Co’s legal counsel Ruy Albert S. Rondain denied the president’s accusation, saying it is “completely untrue.”

“I have not spoken with anyone from the government to negotiate the stoppage of the videos for the passport. As I have always maintained, I have no control over the release of the videos,” he said in a statement.

Mr. Marcos’ video statement followed Mr. Co’s accusation against presidential son, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos III, who allegedly slipped in billions of pesos to anomalous construction projects during the budget bill’s finalization at the bicameral conference committee level.

The president’s disclosure also came as the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) secured two additional freeze orders, bringing the total value of assets frozen in the controversy to about P12 billion.

The assets included about P4 billion in air assets linked to the former Ako Bicol Partylist representative, as well as 3,566 bank accounts, 198 insurance policies, 247 motor vehicles, 178 real properties and 16 e-wallet accounts.

Mr. Marcos said the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will also submit evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman recommending plunder, graft, bribery and conflict-of-interest charges against eight lawmakers who allegedly own construction firms with DPWH contracts.

“This is only the beginning,” the President said, adding that more assets would be frozen as the government moves to recover public funds. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana