MANILA – Former lawmaker Zaldy Co, who is currently a fugitive, will be placed under detention at Camp Crame in Quezon City once he is brought back to the Philippines, Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said Friday.
In a radio interview, Remulla said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will take custody of Co upon his arrival and personally ensure his transfer to the Sandiganbayan for arraignment.
“Upon his arrival, I will serve as the arresting officer and bring him to the Sandiganbayan’s custody since he has already been indicted and charged by the Ombudsman. He will first be taken to Camp Crame for a thorough medical examination,” Remulla said.
Co is facing charges in connection with an allegedly anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro. He was arrested in Prague on Thursday after reportedly entering the Czech Republic without proper documents following an attempted entry into Germany.
Remulla added that Co had been spotted in Italy three weeks earlier and had been moving across Europe to avoid arrest. He also noted that Co’s Philippine passport had already been cancelled.
When asked about the timeline of Co’s deportation, Remulla said it depends on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), estimating it could take anywhere from one to three weeks.
He also confirmed that Philippine authorities are actively coordinating with foreign counterparts to speed up the process.
Co is among 16 individuals charged with graft and malversation over a PHP289-million flood control project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, allegedly implemented by Sunwest Corporation, a company linked to his family.
The Anti-Money Laundering Council said Co allegedly received PHP802 million through checks linked to Sunwest accounts from 2019 to 2025, overlapping with his time in public office—an activity prohibited for government officials.
The Sandiganbayan has declared Co a fugitive from justice.
ia/xf
