Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div> </div>PRAGUE, Czech Republic (UPDATED) — Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co’s whereabouts are still being verified as the Philippines still has “no specific answer yet” if the fugitive  is still in Czech Republic, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Friday.This, a week after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the politician tagged in the multi-billion peso flood control scandal has been apprehended here.Vida — who flew to Prague to work on the deportation of Co — said that he has yet to verify with Czech authorities if the fugitive politician is either in detention, in Czechia jurisdiction or has transferred to another country.“On that question, I have no specific answer yet as of now,” Vida said in a press conference when asked about Co’s specific whereabouts.“I have no relevant and validated information as to that fact. I do not want to speculate… Hanggat hindi po natatapos ‘yung pakikipag pulong ng inyong lingkod sa Czech authorities, hindi po ako makapagbigay ng pahayag,” he said.Earlier this week, the Philippine government maintained that Co remains under Czech Republic’s jurisdiction.“Ito po ay batay sa impormasyon na available sa amin bago kami bumiyahe dito,” the Justice Secretary said.“Ang unang pakikipag-ugnayan na nakalap natin ay mula sa Immigration counterparts at sa police counterparts ng iba’t ibang ahensya sa Pilipinas,” he added.Co left the Philippines in mid-2025 for a medical check-up abroad, he has refused to return to the country after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched a crackdown on billions-worth of anomalous flood control projects, whose funding Co approved as former House Appropriations Committee chair.The Philippines earlier canceled Co’s passport after several contractors and government officials alleged that he was involved in the anomalous bidding and awarding of anti-flood programs across the Philippines.In 2025, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced that Co has been using a Portuguese passport and a golden visa to stay in Europe, but Vida said that this too needs to be verified.“That is something we need to validate, but based sa transmittal ng police authorities… he was holding onto an expired passport,” the Justice Secretary said.When asked if the President’s announcement of Co’s apprehension in Czech Republic last week was premature, Vida said: “I don’t want to speculate na baka premature. It could be a reality 5 days from now after our meeting [with Czech] officials.”“May disappointment, possible, kasi mataas nga, masidhi yung pagnanasa pero ang ipaparating natin sa ating mga kababayan, kung ano man ang sitwasyon, hindi naman bumibitaw ang Department of Justice,” he said.“Ang tamang desisyon magbubunga lang sa tamang datos so we need to verify based on facts.”Vida said that adjusting to European laws, particularly in data privacy, is among the challenges that Philippine authorities are facing as they try to close the net on Co.“They are very, very strict in the protection of the rights of the individual and data privacy regulations of the European Union,” Philippine Ambassador to the Czech Republic Eduardo Martin Meñez explained.“We will respect the legal processes in the Czech Republic dahil tayo ang dayuhan dito. It is their legal process and we will respect that,” he said.Vida is expected to meet with his Czech counterparts next week. Over the weekend, the Philippine Justice Secretary will also meet with law enforcement agencies to tackle several issues.“Isang malaking layunin ng pagpunta ko dito ay para mapag-aralan. Ang ayaw natin ay pagsamantalahan ng mga akusado sa Pilipinas yung konsepto na mangingibang bansa na lang, hindi na mananagot sa Pilipinas,” the DOJ Secretary said.“This is a priority of the Philippine government. This is an opportunity of the Philippine government to study, to evaluate things we can improve on the processes.”<div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida on Friday said there is no clear information yet on whether Zaldy Co is currently either detained or roaming in the Czech Republic.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida on Friday said there is no clear information yet on whether Zaldy Co is currently either detained or roaming in the Czech Republic.

Zaldy not in Czechia? DOJ chief says PH still verifying Co’s whereabouts

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Zaldy not in Czechia? DOJ chief says PH still verifying Co’s whereabouts

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 24, 2026 09:59 PM PHT

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Updated April 24, 2026 10:35 PM PHT

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Zaldy Co

Czech Republic

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