JANUARY 23, 2026 — A fugitive preaching truth? That’s the bizarre spectacle now unfolding in Philippine politics. Former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, wanted by authorities yet suddenly reborn as a “star witness,” has declared he is willing to testify in the impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The twist? He’ll do it via Zoom — safe from arrest, but loud enough to shake the halls of power.

Former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor broke the news: “In the case of congressman Zaldy Co, he is willing to be a witness.” 

Defensor insists Co’s testimony could strengthen the complaint, especially on alleged kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects. Co himself, in videos circulating online, claimed he delivered luggage stuffed with cash supposedly meant for Marcos — though he stressed he handed it to someone else, not directly to the President.

But here’s the absurdity: if Co is credible enough to testify against Marcos, why isn’t he credible enough to face his own cases? How can a man hiding from justice suddenly play prophet of truth? 

And why is Defensor, a former lawmaker, openly coordinating with a fugitive? Shouldn’t that raise alarm bells about the integrity of this entire process?

The impeachment complaint itself already hit turbulence. Defensor’s group tried to file it last Thursday, but the Office of the Secretary General refused to accept it, citing the absence of Secretary General Cheloy Garafil, who was abroad. 

Defensor fired back, warning they’ll sue the OSG: “We are united — and this is a warning to the Office of the Secretary General — that we will file a case against the office.”

Under House rules, complaints should be filed with the Office itself, not directly with the Secretary General. So was this a bureaucratic excuse to shield Marcos, or just sloppy procedure? Either way, the public is left scratching their heads.

Let’s not forget that Co once chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee, approving the 2023, 2024, and 2025 budgets. He knows where the money flowed, who got what, and how “unprogrammed allocations” were allegedly fixed. That makes him dangerous to the Palace — but also deeply compromised in the eyes of the people.

So here we are, a fugitive hiding from the law, yet wanting to hold the microphone in one of the most explosive political dramas of the decade. Is this justice, or just another circus act staged for public consumption?

(Image: Rep. Zaldy Co | Facebook)