Zaldy Co, 3 others declared fugitives

Sandiganbayan also orders cancellation of their passports

- By CZARINA NICOLE ONG KI

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the cancellation of the passports of resigned congressman Zaldy Co and three members of the board of directors of the construction firm Sunwest, Inc. and declared them fugitives from justice, citing their “deliberate refusal to submit to the lawful authority of the court.”

In resolutions issued last Wednesday, Dec. 10, the anti-graft court directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to immediately cancel the passports of Co and Sunwest's Aderma Angelie D. Alcazar, Cesar Z. Buenaventura, and Noel Y. Cao.

Co remained firm in staying abroad and said that he will only return if guaranteed conditions such as the grant of house arrest or bail are met.

Co's actions, the Sandiganbayan declared, only confirms his clear intent to remain outside the jurisdiction of the court.

Thus, the court said the cancellation of Co's passport is "deemed both appropriate and necessary to facilitate the enforcement of the duly issued warrant of arrest and mandate the accused's surrender to the jurisdiction of the court".

It also said: "It must be emphasized that the accused left the country at the time when investigations into alleged corruption in flood control projects were active and when formal charges against him were imminent. His strategically timed flight, therefore, provides sufficient ground for the reasonable inference that his action constituted a deliberate attempt to flee from justice."