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December 14, 2025 | 12:22pm
Former congressman Zaldy Co breaks his silence in a video sent to media yesterday, alleging a presidential directive to insert P100 billion worth of projects into the 2025 national budget.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine Embassy in Portugal has not received any information regarding the whereabouts or status of former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
DFA Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Angelica Escalona told DZBB in a Sunday, December 14, interview that the embassy has no information on Co, who is believed to be hiding in Portugal or elsewhere in Europe.
“Wala pa po silang impormasyong naibigay sa amin. Wala pang report,” she said.
(They haven't given us any information yet. There's no report yet.)
She said the DFA immediately canceled Co's passport after receiving the order from the Sandiganbayan.
Process of passport cancellation. Escalona explained that during passport cancellation, the DFA first reports the cancellation to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
The information is then sent to the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC), the local Interpol office, which alerts Interpol International. This ensures the canceled passport is flagged in the system for detection at all international border controls, including airports and land crossings worldwide.
On December 12, the National Bureau of Investigation said it had requested an Interpol red notice against Zaldy Co through the PCTC, sending the request to the local Interpol office on November 23.
The Sandiganbayan, in its December 10 resolution canceling Co’s passport, declared him a fugitive from justice. The court cited the Ombudsman’s findings that Co intended to evade prosecution.
This case involves his alleged role in a P289.5 million ghost flood control project along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
