Senator urges use of UN treaty to catch former Rep. Zaldy Co

THE PHILIPPINE government can harness the United Nations’ (UN) anti-corruption treaty to track down a former congressman linked to the multibillion-peso flood control scandal, a senator said.

In a statement on Sunday, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson said that the government can utilize the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) to locate and arrest ex-Party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co.

“One option the Philippine government may explore is to tap the UNCAC, where we are a signatory,” he added. “If we tap the resources of 191 other countries, you can imagine how our efforts to locate and arrest Co will be easier.”

Mr. Co’s legal counsel did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

Mr. Co, a former House Appropriations Committee chairman, has been implicated in anomalous flood control projects. He has been abroad since the scandal broke out.

The former lawmaker is currently facing a warrant over an alleged anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro, filed by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan.

The UNCAC is a legally binding universal treaty against corruption, providing a global framework for countries to prevent, detect, and fight bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, and other corrupt practices.

It was adopted by the Philippines in 2003 and ratified by the Senate in 2006.

Citing Article 38 of the UNCAC, Mr. Lacson said that it mandates the cooperation between state parties in investigating and prosecuting criminal offenses.

“The Ombudsman, Department of Justice and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) can study this option in seeking the help of other signatories to the convention,” he added.

The senator said that this could be complemented by the Philippines’ request to issue a red notice against Mr. Co the International Police Organization.

The DFA earlier confirmed the cancelation of the former lawmaker’s passport, following the issuance of a court order.

Mr. Lacson, who heads the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said that he could also subpoena the documents recovered by the National Bureau of Investigation from Mr. Co’s condominium unit to complete the panel’s records.

He added that the next hearing on anomalous flood control infrastructure projects will be set next year.

Previous Senate hearings alleged that Mr. Co was involved in siphoning billions from flood control projects.

Mr. Lacson earlier said that the panel is set to release its partial committee report, as it seeks to wrap up its probe. — Adrian H. Halili