Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

Dennis Gasgonia

ABS-CBN News

PRAGUE (UPDATED) — The Philippines has found “some workable intel” on fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s capture and the circumstances of his stay in Europe, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Sunday.Vida asserted that their high-level delegation will come home “definitely not empty-handed.”While the exact whereabouts of Co has yet to be confirmed, Vida — who met with Czech law enforcement authority here on April 25 — said officials are getting a better picture of how the former House Appropriations Committee chairperson can be brought back to the Philippines.“‘Yung mga detalye po hindi po namin mailalahad dahil we’ve gained some workable intel kung paano nangyari so we will build on that, but basically we will study everything,” Vida told reporters here.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2026/4/24/doj-chief-says-no-clear-information-on-zaldy-co-in-czech-republic-2159?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAYnJpZBExN2RPSEIzUTJFUDFJUGVBVHNydGMGYXBwX2lkATAAAR60gaj3I5WITIC_S_pE_AM7uIqbG-Alc0NRfP9XOs6enADturD7nF4fJIrgnQ_aem_q578rCo_vxIMPkIm0FycnA">Zaldy not in Czechia? DOJ chief says PH still verifying Co’s whereabouts</a></div>“With what I already know now, with what exactly we understand with their processes, definitely, not empty handed,” he said.Vida arrived in Prague last week as the Philippines sought to clarify how Co — the alleged mastermind of the pilfering of billions of pesos through anomalous flood control projects — was taken under custody while trying to cross to Germany, and  and if he is still under Czechia’s jurisdiction.Vida is scheduled to meet with officials from Czech Republic’s Ministry of Justice on April 27.“The actual fact kung nasaan siya naroon, I will get more information by tomorrow,” the Justice Secretary said.“Basically, this is backtracking kung ano ang nangyari so mas maliwanag na detalye at mga datos kung paano nangyari na umabot na dumating sa atin yung balita na namataan, nakita at na accost si former Congressman Zaldy Co ng Czech Republic,” he said.“The basic question is paano ba yung proseso kung paano natin siya maiuuwi… The ultimate objective is bring him home.”Meantime, Vida said that there is no information yet if Co has already applied for political asylum in Europe.“The basic question is if they (Czech authorities) are the proper source kasi minsan kapag nakikipag usap ka sa counterpart mo, it is also impolite to ask for speculative answers,” he said.Officials from the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) have also arrived in Prague, bringing additional documents needed for the Interpol to issue a red notice against Co.The PCTC will be sending the documents to the Interpol office in Lyon, France, Vida said.“Nandoon lahat at yung mga posible na pangangailangan pa na sinasabi para mabuo ang mga submissions para sa Interpol ay kumpleto na,” he said.“The particular documents kasi kailangan ineexplain mo rin kung ano yung kasong finile… The particulars, we cannot discuss, but as of now, wala pa siyang red notice the fact na mayroon pa kasing kulang na submissions,” he said.“The predictability of when it will come out, we cannot tell. Ayoko naman magspeculate, otherwise, we give false information to the public.”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.

The Philippines has found “some workable intel” on fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s capture and the circumstances of his stay in Europe, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Sunday.

The Philippines has found “some workable intel” on fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co’s capture and the circumstances of his stay in Europe, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Sunday.

DOJ finds ‘workable intel’ on Zaldy Co’s capture in Czech Republic

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DOJ finds ‘workable intel’ on Zaldy Co’s capture in Czech Republic

Katrina Domingo,

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 26, 2026 08:19 PM PHT

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Updated April 26, 2026 09:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Zaldy Co

Fredderick Vida

DOJ

Czech Republic

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