The Department of Foreign Affairs reiterated that it has not received a court order directing the agency to revoke the passport of former lawmaker Zaldy Co.

“Under the New Passport Law, the DFA is authorized to cancel the passport of former Congressman Zaldy Co only upon receipt of a court order,” Foreign Affairs spokesperson Angelica Escalona said.

“Once such court order is received, the DFA will carry out its mandate. This process is governed by established legal criteria and is not subject to arbitrary or political considerations,” Escalona said.

Warrants of arrest have been issued against Co and 17 others, including Public Works officials and those from Sunwest Corp., a private construction firm owned by the lawmaker accused of receiving large amounts of kickbacks from flood control projects.

There are three grounds for denial, cancellation or restrictions of passport — if the passport holder is a fugitive from justice, when the holder has been convicted of a criminal offense, and when a passport was acquired fraudulently or was tampered with.

Co, who headed the House Appropriations Committee during the 19th Congress, resigned as a member of the House of Representatives following allegations of his involvement in widespread irregularities in government flood control projects.