By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
Malacañang on Friday blasted Vice President Sara Duterte’s “illegal and dangerous” advice to kidnap Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, who left the country amid allegations of involvement in anomalous flood control projects.
“Ang payo niya is pa-kidnap si Zaldy Co, another thing, it’s illegal. So, ganoon ba magbibigay ng suggestion ang isang Bise Presidente, ang gumawa ng ilegal? Delikado iyon,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program aired over PTV-4.
Castro said there was no hold departure order to stop Co from traveling abroad, despite being implicated in the flood control mess.
She also clarified that the travel authority was granted not by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. but by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Sabi niya, nakita ko dito, ‘Ipa-kidnap, ipa-kidnap si Zaldy Co.’ Unang-una, sabi niya bakit hinayaang magbiyahe? Dapat alam niya bilang Bise Presidente na ang pagbibiyahe ng mambabatas ay hindi sakop ng Pangulo,” Castro said.
“Hindi ba niya natatandaan na mas madalas din siyang magbiyahe at hinahayaan siya ng Office of the President kahit mayroon ding nakabinbin na isyu tungkol sa korapsiyon na parte ng articles of impeachment? So, ano ang pagkakaiba noon?”
Newly installed House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, in a letter dated Sept. 18, ordered Co to return home within 10 days of receiving the notice, noting that the existing travel clearance for Co’s personal trip has been revoked “effective immediately.”
Co, who is currently in the United States for medical treatment, was ordered to immediately return to address “with urgency” the issues raised against him.
