January 9, 2026 — The camp of former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co has threatened legal action against police officials following the seizure of dozens of vehicles allegedly connected to him and his family’s businesses.

Atty. Ruy Rondain, counsel for Co, said the Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) forcibly took 34 vehicles without presenting a search warrant. He argued that the operation went beyond the scope of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) warrant, which only covered eight vehicles.

“They got these [vehicles] forcibly without a search warrant. Thirty-four vehicles. I asked them why, they said the LTO placed it under an alarm for being a hot car, meaning stolen. Sino ba nag-report na ninakaw ‘yan? ‘Yung owner? Eh kami ‘yung may-ari niyan. ‘Yung mga kumpanya at mga personal na kliyente ko. Sino nag-report na nakaw?” Rondain said.

Authorities earlier seized over ₱145 million worth of luxury vehicles linked to Co during a raid at a condominium in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The operation was conducted by the BOC, PNP-HPG, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and other agencies, citing violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

The vehicles were transferred to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) compound in Taguig for safekeeping.

Co, who is facing three graft and malversation charges over alleged substandard ₱289-million flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro, has denied wrongdoing. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also filed a plunder case against him in connection with the scandal.

Rondain said his client will pursue criminal charges against police officials involved in the seizure, accusing them of abuse of authority and violation of due process. He maintained that the vehicles were lawfully owned by Co’s companies and clients, and that authorities failed to follow proper legal procedures.

The controversy adds to the mounting legal troubles of Co, whose name has been repeatedly linked to anomalous infrastructure projects. Analysts say the case could test the government’s resolve to pursue accountability in corruption scandals while ensuring respect for due process.

The Nerve of Zaldy Co to Demand Fairness

Due process matters. Warrants matter. Scope matters. No serious society discards them, even in corruption cases. But demanding fairness rings hollow when it comes without owning the damage allegedly done.

Zaldy Co’s camp has gone on the offensive, questioning seizures, threatening lawsuits, and invoking legal protections. What stands out is not the defense itself, but the absence of remorse. There is no acknowledgment of communities allegedly harmed by substandard flood control projects. No recognition of accountability when public works fail and people suffer.

The conversation has shifted to luxury vehicles and procedural arguments, while flood-prone areas and wasted public funds fade into the background. That contrast fuels public frustration. Filipinos understand due process. What they struggle with is silence on responsibility.

Legal rights are not in question. Moral responsibility is.

Fairness in law should not be used to mute the consequences of alleged corruption. Process must serve justice, not distraction.

So the question remains unavoidable: how can fairness be demanded so aggressively when accountability for alleged damage remains absent?