MANILA — Former Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Zaldy Co still holds an active Philippine passport because the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not received a court order to cancel it, the agency said.

“As of this morning, we have not received a court order instructing the DFA to cancel his passport,” DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona told reporters.

Law enforcement agencies intensified efforts over the weekend to locate Co after the Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants for him and 15 others last Friday in connection with alleged anomalies in a P289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

Co faces two counts of graft and one count of malversation through falsification filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

The DFA emphasized that it can only revoke Philippine passports “upon receipt of a court order issued by a competent Philippine court,” pursuant to Sections 4 and 10 of RA 11983, or the New Philippine Passport Act. “As of this time, the Department has not received such an order,” the agency said.

Warrants of arrest have been issued against Co and 17 others, including officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways and personnel from Sunwest Corp., a private construction firm allegedly involved in receiving kickbacks from flood control projects. Co has denied the allegations.