No internal probe in Cabinet; calls for Zaldy Co's return snowballs

Malacañang said there is no internal investigation in the Cabinet over the flood control anomalies after some of its members resigned while some are being linked to the massive infrastructure corruption.

- BY BETHEENA UNITE, ELLSON QUISMORIO, and HANNAH TORREGOZA

Palace Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro bared this on Thursday, Nov. 20, even as more lawmakers joined calls for resigned congressman Zaldy Co return home and testify in the ongoing investigation of the flood control project scandal.

Castro, in a Palace briefing on Thursday, said nothing has been communicated to her regarding an internal investigation being conducted concerning flood control projects and infrastructure.

She stressed that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is there to ensure an independent investigation.

The Palace official said she cannot say whether everyone in the Cabinet is under investigation, but stated that regular performance evaluation of Cabinet members continues.

Castro also said the resignation of some Cabinet members does not give them a free pass to run away from accountability, stressing that they can still be investigated by the ICI, Ombudsman, or the Department of Justice (DOJ) as private citizens.

"Zaldy come home'

As investigation continues, the House minority bloc and Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) joined calls for Co to return home to testify, highlighting the dearth of evidence when it comes to his serious allegations.