00:00Back against the wall, Ako Bicol Partilist Elizalde Co. found no way but to step down from his position and belide the allegations on the flood control scam thrown against him.
00:10Our Mela Les Moras reports.
00:14House Speaker Faustino Boggi D. III has accepted the resignation of Ako Bicol Partilist Representative Elizalde Co. as Congressman.
00:22In the letter sent by Co. to the House, he stated that he was compelled to file his irrevocable resignation due to threats to his life and that of his family, as well as the alleged lack of due process afforded to him.
00:35Apart from leaving his post, Co. once again denied the various accusations hurled against him, such as allegedly being the mastermind behind the questionable insertions and realignments in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
00:48For now, there is an ethics complaint already filed against Co. in the House, but this is rendered moot since he's no longer a representative.
00:56Kami lahat ay nabigla sapagkat ang usapan nga, kausap natin yung chair ng ethics na by tomorrow ay address na ng kanyang committee.
01:07At ang next step namin ay sana'y i-suspend namin si Congressman Saldico.
01:15At kung hindi pa rin siya makikipag-cooperate hanggang umabot na ma-expelled, pero nagain nga ng kanyang resignation.
01:23Kaya ang tingin namin dito ay bahala na ang Department of Justice at ganun din ang ICI kung anong pwede nilang ipataw.
01:35Pero kailangan talagang bumalik siya sa lahat ng parang na magawa. Dapat mapabalik siya at managutan siya.
01:42For his part, House Ethics Committee Chair J.C. Abalos clarified that cause resignation does not mean he has already escaped the issues being linked to him.
01:51Yung evasion po of accountability, wala naman yan kung miyembro ka ng House o hindi.
01:57Because in any case, the Committee on Ethics is not the only area for recourse or justice.
02:03In any case, anyone can still file a civil or criminal case against any member or against any former member of the House of Representatives.
02:12Kaya kahit na nag-resign si former Congressman Saldico, that doesn't exempt him from accountability.
02:18Aside from Koh, former House Speaker and later Representative Martin Romualdez is also facing several allegations related to the budget and flood control projects.
02:28But Romualdez reiterated that these are not true and mere fabrications, including a new accusation that he is allegedly receiving money from illegal gambling.
02:37He also assured that he will continue cooperating with the investigation of authorities since he has nothing to hide following the privileged speech delivered by Sen. Cheese Escudero against him.
02:49Melalas Moras from the National TV Network for a New and Better Philippines.
