‘Illegal, dangerous,’ Palace on VP Sara’s ‘kidnap Zaldy Co’ remark

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

Castro said there was no hold departure order to stop Co from traveling abroad, despite being implicated in the flood control mess. (PNA Photo by Darryl John Esguerra)

MANILA – 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 iligal? Delikado iyon (Her advice is to kidnap Zaldy Co, which is illegal. Is that how a Vice President gives suggestions – by encouraging illegal actions? That’s dangerous),” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon Program aired over state-run 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 (She said, ‘Kidnap Zaldy Co.’ First of all, she asked why was he allowed to travel? As Vice President, she should know that the travel of lawmakers is not under the President’s authority),” 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 (Doesn’t she remember that she herself often travels and is allowed by the Office of the President, despite pending issues of corruption included in the articles of impeachment against her? So, what’s the difference then)?”

Newly installed House Speaker Faustino 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home within 10 days of receiving the notice, noting that the existing travel clearance for Co’s personal trip has been revoked “effective immediately.”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.