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 — The Philippines is in the process of seeking the International Criminal Police Organization’s (Interpol) assistance to repatriate former lawmaker Zaldy Co from Portugal, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday. Co — who served as former House Appropriations Committee chairperson — is facing graft, malversation and falsification of public documents charges over the construction of an anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.“Nagbigay ng instructions si President na formally mag-a-apply na kami ng extradition treaty sa kanila kahit wala pa tayong formal extradition treaties between the two countries,” Remulla said during a press conference in Malacañang.“Through the Interpol, magre-request na kami ng repatriation ni Zaldy Co kung talagang nasa Portugal siya,” he said.Remulla said he was not privy to details about the Philippines’ extradition treaty discussions with Portugal or if there was an expected deadline for Co’s arrest.“We do not practice extrajudicial means of acquiring jurisdiction over a person so we will always go through the rational, legal and acceptable ways of acquiring jurisdiction over a person,” he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/12/extradition-complications-won-t-stop-arrest-of-zaldy-co-dilg-1349">Extradition &#x27;complications&#x27; won&#x27;t stop arrest of Zaldy Co: DILG</a></div>But in a succeeding interview, Remulla clarified that the Philippines was not necessarily pushing to ink an extradition treaty with Portugal.“Ang magulo dito wala tayong extradition treaty and there are other avenues na gusto niya pag aralan. There is the Interpol, there is the United Nations,” the DILG chief said.“A treaty takes too long, takes years and years to do. Pinag-aaralan namin paano ang extradition niya without passing a treaty,” he said.“Ang extradition is almost impossible kasi wala nga tayong treaty. We will look for all possible means to repatriate Zaldy Co to the Philippines,” he added.An extradition treaty is a formal agreement between two countries that guarantees the repatriation of fugitives to countries where they are facing serious crimes.Co’s case is not the first time that the Marcos Jr. government pushed for the return of a fugitive to the Philippines even in the absence of an extradition treaty.In May 2025, the government of Timor-Leste arrested and repatriated former lawmaker  Arnolfo Teves Jr. who fled to their country after he was linked to the murder of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.“It was a special accommodation from the President of Timor-Leste... In the case of Teves, nag-usap sila noong ASEAN, pinagbigyan sila ng Timor-Leste,” Remulla said.The DILG chief said he was uncertain if Portugal would be willing to extend the same favor to the Philippines in Co’s case, noting that he had no idea of the relations between Marcos and his Portuguese counterpart. Co left the Philippines in mid-2025 for a scheduled medical treatment, and before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched a crackdown on personalities allegedly involved in the pilfering of public funds through ghost or substandard anti-flood projects.Co resigned as a member of the House of Representatives shortly before the chamber could cancel his travel authority. The Philippine government has <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/10/zaldy-co-passport-cancelled-1350">canceled his passport </a>but authorities say that Co may be traveling using a Portuguese passport.“We suspect na nasa Portugal siya. Mayroon siyang Portuguese passport. Ang info namin ay ito ay 10 years old,” Remulla said.Last year, Co released a series of videos accusing Marcos and several Cabinet secretaries of corruption. While Marcos has said Co’s video campaign was an example of fake news, several Cabinet members named in the former lawmaker’s allegations were relieved from their posts.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/8/authorities-seize-some-of-zaldy-co-s-luxury-vehicles-2016">Authorities seize alleged luxury vehicles of Zaldy Co</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/12/dizon-to-testify-in-flood-control-cases-vs-zaldy-co-0917">Dizon to testify in Sandiganbayan trial of Zaldy Co’s case</a></div><div><iframe width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/05cl4xzdxZ8" title="EXCLUSIVE: Ilang mamahaling sasakyan ni Zaldy Co nasamsam | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

The Philippines is in the process of seeking the International Criminal Police Organization’s (Interpol) assistance to repatriate former lawmaker Zaldy Co from Portugal, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday, noting that Manila was also working to ink an extradition deal with Lisbon.

The Philippines is in the process of seeking the International Criminal Police Organization’s (Interpol) assistance to repatriate former lawmaker Zaldy Co from Portugal, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday, noting that Manila was also working to ink an extradition deal with Lisbon.

Philippines seeks Interpol aid to repatriate Zaldy Co from Portugal

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Philippines seeks Interpol aid to repatriate Zaldy Co from Portugal

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 13, 2026 11:51 AM PHT

|

Updated Jan 13, 2026 03:24 PM PHT

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Zaldy Co

DPWH

corruption

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