Jamaine Punzalan

Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Cong. Zaldy Co at Cong. Jil Bongalon lead the turn-over of Solar Home Systems in Brgy. Galicia, Rapu-Rapu, Albay on May 23, 2025.   AKo Bicol Partylisyt

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Rep. Zaldy Co

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tnWPYQGKQzI" title="EXCLUSIVE: Mga luxury cars umano ni Zaldy Co, nakumpiska | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>MANILA — The legal counsel of fugitive and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co said the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/8/authorities-seize-some-of-zaldy-co-s-luxury-vehicles-2016">seizure of luxury vehicles </a>linked to his client was illegal. </p><p>In a phone interview, lawyer Ruy Rondain said he asked for a search warrant from authorities, who failed to provide any legal documents for the operation that started around midnight of Wednesday until Thursday noon.</p><p>Rondain added that the driver of his client was detained for more than 12 hours.</p><p>“Illegal yan, because number 1, nag-illegal stop ang search sila nung kotse nung kliyente…tapos kinuha nila yung susi ng I think 34 cars, puwersado ha inintimidate nila yung driver nung kliyente pagkatapos dinetained nila yung mga driver ng over 12 hours,” Rondain said. </p><p>“Sabi ko i-document ‘nyo yan, meron ba kayong warrant to begin with? Sabi wala daw silang warrant; meron daw alarma sa LTO. Sabi ko, eh kung may alarma sa LTO, that means hot car yan o kinarnap, sino nagreklamo na kinarnap because yun owners niyan hindi nagrereklamo. Ginagawa lang daw nila yung utos sa kanila na wala din silang seizure warrant so walang legal and factual basis for confiscating,” he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/6/nbi-says-search-for-zaldy-co-probe-into-cabral-still-ongoing-1611">NBI says search for Zaldy Co, probe into Cabral still ongoing</a></div><p>Rondain said a subsequent warrant of seizure cannot justify an illegal operation. </p><p>“Humihingi ako kahapon ng search warrant or any other legal process na magdiya-justify yung search nila at yung pag-confiscate nila, wala silang pinakita sakin kahapon, wala daw silang hawak. So kung merong search warrant yan, after the fact yan,” Rondain told reporters. </p><p>“Hindi puwedeng summary mag-apply sila at kumuha ng warrant. I’m saying walang at the time kinuha yan. At the time kinuha yan, illegally seized na. You cannot repair an illegal seizure by getting a subsequent warrant,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/19/gov-t-readies-asset-forfeiture-vs-ex-solon-zaldy-co-1029">Gov’t readies asset forfeiture vs ex-solon Zaldy Co</a></div><p>Rondain said he would file charges against personalities involved in the seizure of the vehicles. </p><p>“I’ll go sue people left and right… Kung sino man ang responsable, I don’t remember their names eh - yung mga police at kung sino man ang kumuha niyan. Mga police na nag-illegal seizure, yung nag-detained sa mga driver na walang warrant…dedemandahin ko lahat yan,” he said. </p><p>On Thursday night, the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Customs, and Southern Police District brought to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) compound 12 luxury vehicles linked to Zaldy Co. </p><p>Of these, 8 were covered by the seizure warrant and the rest were confiscated because of an alarm from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;COURT-ISSUED WARRANTS&#x27;</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>On Friday, the Bureau of Customs said its operations on January 8 was an enforcement of &quot;court-issued warrants.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The operation was conducted pursuant to a mission order and was the result of sustained intelligence buildup and inter-agency coordination,&quot; it said in a statement.</p><p>It said a search warrant was presented to and was received by counsels representing the multi-level parking facility in Taguig City. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/23/remulla-zaldy-co-allegedly-building-5-story-basement-in-forbes-park-for-money-storage-1438">Remulla: Zaldy Co allegedly building 5-story basement for money storage</a></div><p>Meanwhile, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) said the issuance of search warrants and seizure of vehicles linked to Co were conducted following verification of information it received. </p><p>“The ICI had received information regarding fifteen (15) vehicles allegedly linked to former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy  ‘Zaldy’ Co. Following its investigation, the Commission was able to obtain and verify the plate numbers of these vehicles,” ICI said. </p><p>&quot;This verified information was subsequently relate to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for ownership verification, and to the BOC to determine whether the vehicles  had complete importation documents and payments of duties and taxes,” it said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/10/zaldy-co-passport-cancelled-1350">Marcos says Zaldy Co passport cancelled</a></div><p>It added that the confiscated vehicles were found to be registered under entities with ties to Co.</p><p>The ICI said the BOC determined that 9 of the 15 vehicles had incomplete importation documents and unpaid duties and taxes.</p><p>“The ICI remains dedicated to verifying and acting upon the information it receives and encourages the submission to the Commission of credible information relevant to its ongoing investigation of anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects,” it said. </p>

<p>The legal counsel of fugitive and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co said the seizure of luxury vehicles linked to his client was illegal.</p>

The legal counsel of fugitive and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co said the seizure of luxury vehicles linked to his client was illegal.

Zaldy Co’s lawyer says seizure of vehicles linked to ex-lawmaker illegal

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Zaldy Co’s lawyer says seizure of vehicles linked to ex-lawmaker illegal

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 09, 2026 03:41 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 09, 2026 04:23 PM PHT

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Zaldy Co

Ruy Rondain

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