THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s flood control corruption scandal has fueled widespread discontent and protest among Filipinos. Public funds meant for infrastructure, education, health and social services have gone to the pockets of public officials and their complicit contractors. What was meant to protect low-lying communities from flooding instead became an alleged scheme for massive kickbacks to lawmakers, Cabinet officials and even a Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner. The scale of corruption was, by far, unimaginable in the annals of Philippine history.
At the center of this storm was the former Ako-Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, once chairman of the powerful House appropriations committee. He is widely accused of orchestrating the insertion of multibillions of public funds into flood control projects that yielded unexplained wealth to many public officials. Filipinos cannot accept that Co could have done this grand conspiracy on his own. But before he was investigated and arrested, he flew off abroad to escape accountability.
The call for his return or capture is no longer mere political noise. The capture of Co is now an existential priority that will determine the future direction of our country and rejuvenate failing faith in democratic institutions. His appearance in our courts is a last resort for national renewal. In fact, his testimony can even unravel the masterminds behind the DPWH plunder — now estimated at P1.3 trillion for the past three years, a huge write-off. But public trust in the justice system eroded with Co jet-setting across the globe and bargaining with authorities for his safe return.
The adverse impact of the DPWH scandal is immense and irreparable. The Philippine economy’s growth fell sharply to 4.4 percent in 2025, down from 5.7 percent in 2024. The slump was attributed to unpaid legitimate contractors, delayed infrastructure spending and weakened investor confidence that led to the sputtering of economic momentum. With a failing economy and weak fiscal outlook, few capital investments arrived at our shores and less jobs were created. At the same time, poverty, hunger and unemployment have been showing upward trends since last year.
Furthermore, the social strains also sparked public disorder. Heinous crimes, such as political assassinations, homicide and robberies, rampaged across the country. The recent brutal killing of a PNP woman officer and her 8-year-old son shocked the nation. The atmosphere of disillusionment pervaded with increased crime incidences, police abuses and sinking ships, deepening the people’s insecurity amid the lawlessness. Meanwhile, Co and his cohorts gloated on their invincibility amid the social turmoil and economic recession. In a sense, they are real threats to national security, no different from terror organizations like the Abu Sayyaf, Dawlah Islamiyah or Maute Group.
Amid the downturn of events, the SWS surveys showed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s public trust ratings fell to 38 percent in November 2025, from 43 percent in September 2025. While the opposition standard bearer, Vice President Sara Duterte, registered stronger ratings at 56 percent in November — slightly higher than the 53 percent posted last September. The confluence of the flood control scandal, economic slump and rising crimes has shaken public confidence in President Marcos’ leadership.
If President Marcos wishes to renew his social contract with the people, he must confront the final tipping point. If his government fails to capture Co, then he must brace for a calamitous political storm. The president has several options at his disposal if he wishes to truly bring back this fugitive from justice.
First, our security and intelligence officials may organize and send tracker teams overseas to hunt down and arrest Co, similar to how Israel’s Mossad pursued Nazi fugitives. Second, the government may mobilize overseas Filipino workers to monitor and report Co’s proof of life. The pressures of being watched, hounded and exposed in social media 24/7 may convince him to return and give up. Third, professional bounty hunters and mercenaries could be hired to carry out this task swiftly through private funding from Marcos’ supporters. Finally, authorities may coordinate with haven countries through an Interpol Red Notice to arrest Co and facilitate his return.
The capture of Co will help restore the trust of the Filipinos in President Marcos. With the renewal of the people’s mandate to Marcos, it is also imperative to uphold the rule of law that binds all citizens to our democratic institutions. If Co continues to flaunt his impunity and evade justice, the political, social and legal fabric holding our nation together will unravel — and the Philippines will tragically descend into a failed state.
