Jamaine Punzalan

A screengrab from a video released by former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co implicating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the insertion of P100-B worth of projects in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

(Courtesy of Zaldy Co)

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co may be in Portugal, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Monday, as it sought help from the public to find the former lawmaker implicated in the flood control scandal.Co, who has been accused of orchestrating budget insertions tied to flood control anomalies, is “suspected to have a Portugese passport acquired so many years ago,”  Secretary Jonvic Remulla said.“He is a holder of 2 passports, not only a visa but also a passport so doon tayo may complication ng kaunti,” he told Palace reporters.Remulla confirmed that Co is holding a Portugese golden visa — a special type of visa granted to individuals who bring in investments of at least 500,000 euros to Portugal or make a donation of at least 250,000 euros in Portugese arts or cultural heritage programs.When asked how the government could extract Co from the European country without an extradition treaty with the Philippines, Remulla said, “That is something the DFA will have to answer.”Several government agencies are “working together to get a satisfying outcome for the repatriation of Zaldy Co back in the Philippines,” he said.Remulla urged Filipinos abroad to help the Philippine government in tracking Co’s whereabouts.“Nakikiusap kami sa lahat ng Pilipino sa buong mundo na kung makita nila si Zaldy Co, kung pwede nilang picture-an, padala kagad, post nila sa internet para may idea tayo kung nasaan siya,” he said.“Sa ngayon ang hinala namin ay nasa Portugal siya at doon siya naninirahan.”Co fled the Philippines earlier this year and filed videos from abroad accusing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of being a prime beneficiary of the corruption.Marcos previously slammed the video campaign as an example of &quot;fake news&quot;. He said a lawyer of Co tried to <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/27/zaldy-co-lawyer-denies-blackmail-attempt-vs-marcos-gov-t-1119">&quot;blackmail&quot; the government </a>by saying they would no longer release videos if authorities do not cancel the former lawmaker&#x27;s passport.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/28/marcos-seeks-coordination-with-singapore-malaysia-over-hidden-zaldy-co-helicopters-1528">Marcos seeks coordination with Singapore, Malaysia over ‘hidden’ Zaldy Co helicopters</a></div><div> </div><div>PASSPORT</div>Remulla said Co&#x27;s Philippine passport could already be cancelled. “Ang pagkakaalam ko na-cancel na yung passport niya,” he said.But the Department of Foreign Affairs later in the day said it &quot;has not received any court order instructing the cancellation of Zaldy Co’s passport.&quot;Meanwhile, Remulla expressed confidence in the arrest of other personalities involved in the multi-billion peso flood control project scam. “Capturing them is not the issue. They are in the Philippines so mahahanap yan,” he said.“It is the wheels of justice turning ang hinihintay natin… We will get them, a hundred percent, we will get them,” he said.

Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co may be in Portugal, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Monday, as it sought help from the public to find the former lawmaker implicated in the flood control scandal.

Former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co may be in Portugal, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Monday, as it sought help from the public to find the former lawmaker implicated in the flood control scandal.

DILG: Zaldy Co may be in Portugal; public urged to help find ex-solon

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DILG: Zaldy Co may be in Portugal; public urged to help find ex-solon

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 01, 2025 02:58 PM PHT

|

Updated Dec 01, 2025 05:10 PM PHT

Read More:

corruption

flood control

baha

Zaldy Co

passport

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