Jonathan Frederic De Santos

The European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium by FrDr - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17774406464691777440645075.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium by FrDr - Own work, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 4.0</a></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The government has so far confirmed that former Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Zaldy Co, a central figure in the flood control corruption scandal and among the accused in a graft case related to that scandal, was held in the Czech Republic earlier this month but has since been released.</p><p>That release happened before the Philippines could acquire custody of the former chair of the House appropriations <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/29/zaldy-co-resigns-as-house-representative-amid-flood-control-scandal-1600">who resigned as congressman in September</a> when told to come home to face allegations.</p><p>The Department of Foreign Affairs reportedly has &quot;highly-reliable information&quot; that Co is in France, where he is seeking political asylum. DFA missions in Europe have been ordered to verify the information.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/28/palace-zaldy-co-seeking-asylum-in-france-1540">Zaldy Co seeking asylum in France; Marcos &#x27;disappointed&#x27;—Palace<br/></a></div><p>The Department of Justice — whose secretary, Fredderick Vida had flown to Czechia for Co — said early Tuesday morning that Co &quot;is within the Schengen area.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>WHAT AND WHERE IS THE SCHENGEN AREA?</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Schengen area, which is named for the town in Luxembourg where a treaty to abolish internal passport controls was signed in 1985, is an area with limited or no internal border controls.</p><p>From an initial five countries, the area now comprises all European Union countries except Ireland and Cyprus, according to a briefer by the European Parliament.</p><p>Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are not part of the EU but are part of the Schengen area.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177743809240420250106PHT26203_original.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">European Parliament website</span></span></span></div><p>Primarily meant for freer movement for citizens of EU countries, the agreement allows citizens to stay in another Schengen area country for up to three months as a tourist.</p><p>&quot;They can also live in another EU country for work, with the right to be treated in the same way as nationals of that country. Entrepreneurs benefit from freedom of establishment and students have the right to study anywhere in the EU,&quot; the EP says on its website.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/10/trust-in-eu-grows-in-southeast-asia-but-challenges-remain-1404">Trust in EU grows in Southeast Asia, but challenges remain<br/></a></div><p>The Schengen area also has a common visa policy for short-term visits by Filipinos and for citizens of other non-EU countries.</p><p>Non-resident foreigners can get Type C visas for short stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period or Type D visas for longer stays of up to 12 months.</p><p>With internal border checks abolished, people allowed into the Schengen area can travel between countries more freely.</p><p>&quot;However, national authorities may check people at or close to internal borders if police information and experience warrant stepping up surveillance temporarily,&quot; the EP notes.</p><p>Co is rumored to have a Portuguese passport, although this has not been verified. </p><p>What has been verified is that the DFA has cancelled his Philippine passports because of a 2025 order from the Sandiganbayan, where the graft case against him was filed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/28/doj-says-zaldy-co-is-no-longer-under-czech-custody-0011">DOJ: Zaldy Co no longer in Czechia, still in Schengen area</a></div><p>While it has yet to be confirmed if Co is seeking asylum, <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/news/stories/many-refugees-misunderstand-schengen-expansion">the UN Refugee Agency</a> noted as early as 2007 that traveling while being assessed would be more difficult since they cannot leave the country where their application has been filed until a decision is made on it.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>INFORMATION SHARING WITHIN EU</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Part of the Schengen area&#x27;s mechanisms is the <a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20181011STO15882/security-improving-the-schengen-information-system">Schengen Information System</a>, a database for external border control and for law-enforcement cooperation.</p><p>The EP says the information system includes alerts on people refused entry into the EU and people wanted for arrest or for assistance with judicial procedures.</p><p>It also has biometrics data and other information &quot;for identifying people or objects subject of an alert&quot; as well as &quot;links between alerts&quot; like for a subject person and a subject vehicle.</p><p>The system is accessible to law enforcement agencies, immigration and customs agencies, and Interpol.</p><p>The Philippine government has been talking about securing an Interpol Red Notice for Co, but that has yet to be issued.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6he1nKmQPOI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The government has so far confirmed that former Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Zaldy Co, a central figure in the flood control corruption scandal and among the accused in a graft case related to that scandal, was held in the Czech Republic earlier this month but has since been released.</p>

The government has so far confirmed that former Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Zaldy Co, a central figure in the flood control corruption scandal and among the accused in a graft case related to that scandal, was held in the Czech Republic earlier this month but has since been released.

What is the Schengen area where Zaldy Co is believed to be hiding?

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What is the Schengen area where Zaldy Co is believed to be hiding?

ABS-CBN News

Published April 29, 2026 02:31 PM PHT

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