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Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star
April 26, 2026 | 12:00am
Rep. Elizaldy Co speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony of the ALECO Cullat Substation in February 2025.
Rep. Elizaldy Co via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — Is fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co no longer in the custody of authorities in the Czech Republic? The Department of Justice (DOJ) said it is possible.
Asked during a video conference what guarantee the DOJ could give that Co won’t leave the Czech Republic, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said “there is no such guarantee, and we need to respect their rules.”
Asked again if Co “may have gone out of Czech,” he answered, “Possible.”
The video conference was held late Friday.
However, he maintained the DOJ would still “verify the facts” and that Philippine immigration and police authorities have been informed that Co was indeed “under the jurisdiction of Czech authorities.”
Meanwhile, Vida reiterated that the Philippine delegation currently in Prague would “explore all things,” including securing a red notice from the Interpol against Co.
Another team would fly to the Central European country to “bring in all the documents” needed to justify the issuance of a red notice against Co, who is facing charges in relation to the flood control scandal.
“Basically our main concern is the issuance of red notice, instead of us looking at Portugal, looking at other places… We know he’s in Europe,” Vida said.
He reiterated his stand against giving a timeline on when Co could be flown back to the country, contrary to earlier pronouncements from the government that he could be sent home in three weeks.
“I don’t want to give that message to the Czech authorities that there is a deadline being imposed on them. We respect their system, we respect their processes,” he pointed out.
Vida also said his team has yet to set a meeting with his counterpart in the Czech Republic. His team is expected to fly back to the country by next week.
With Vida in Prague are Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan, as well as officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime.
Vida and the other officials may propose deporting Co back to the country, or invoke the United Nations Convention Against Corruption to which the Philippines and the Czech Republic are signatories.
