By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla is preparing to travel to France to personally press authorities there against any attempt by fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co to obtain asylum, as Philippine officials seek his return to face criminal charges at home.
Remulla said Tuesday that Co remains in France and is reportedly pursuing asylum, prompting the Department of the Interior and Local Government chief to coordinate with French authorities ahead of his planned visit.
“As per the latest reports, he’s still there. He is seeking asylum,” Remulla said during a press briefing at Camp Crame.
Remulla said his mission in France would be to persuade his counterparts that Co should not be granted protection and instead be returned to the Philippines to face the allegations against him.
“My job there is to convince our counterparts that, after stealing $1 billion from a poor country like the Philippines, he doesn’t deserve to be given asylum and he needs to be brought back to the Philippines,” Remulla said.
The secretary earlier announced plans to travel to France as part of government efforts to bring Co back to the Philippines.
He said he is already in contact with French authorities and may leave for France within the next 10 days.
Co is wanted in connection with two separate cases involving alleged kickbacks amounting to P7.44 billion from various government projects undertaken between 2022 and 2025.
He is also facing allegations over an allegedly anomalous P289-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
The Philippine government has been pursuing international assistance in locating and returning Co, who has remained outside the country while authorities seek to secure his arrest and eventual prosecution.
Remulla’s planned French mission now places Co’s reported asylum bid at the center of Manila’s efforts to bring the former lawmaker back and make him answer for the cases filed against him.
ia/xf
