Zaldy Co No Longer Allowed To Join Senate Blue Ribbon Hearing Via Zoom

Resigned Ako Bicol party-list congressman Elizaldy Co will not be allowed to join the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee flood control investigation if he will only be attending virtually.

Committee chair Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said Co was invited to attend the hearing physically. He said allowing Co to participate virtually  would accord the disgraced lawmaker – currently abroad amid ongoing investigations on his role in the corruption scandal – a chance to avoid a contempt citation.

“I didn’t push through with the initial plan to invite him via Zoom. On second thought, the hearing might afford him a platform to say anything he wants even with no probative value and, worse, for propaganda purposes only, without any accountability for at least possible contempt citation,” Lacson said.

Co’s legal team has also informed the committee that he would not be able to attend due to an alleged medical treatment in the United States.

“Co’s lawyer informed the committee, saying Co is in the US and is undergoing medication. He asked to be excused from tomorrow’s hearing, (Nov. 14),” Lacson said.

Meanwhile, Lacson also refuted Sen. Imee Marcos’ claim that witnesses will recant their testimonies in the next hearing and that Co was Lacson’s alleged VIP witness.

“More than Sen. Imee’s crystal ball, my bigger concern is how to recover my normal voice in time for tomorrow’s BRC hearing or this afternoon’s budget plenary debates which I have intended to interpellate,” Lacson said, referring to this sore throat.

“I’ve lost my voice since (Wednesday, Nov. 12) after drinking ice cold water with a sore throat last Tuesday night (Nov. 11),” he added.

Lacson also called it a figment of her imagination the senator’s claim that witnesses will recant their testimony and that the 17 implicated House of Representatives lawmakers invited will clear the name of former speaker Martin Romualdez.