By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – Fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co has been arrested in Prague for alleged illegal entry, Malacañang confirmed Thursday.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez said Co is currently in custody in the Czech Republic, and Philippine authorities are coordinating with Czech authorities to arrange Co’s return to the country.
“We confirm that Zaldy Co was detained in Prague for crossing into the Czech Republic without proper documentation. He is presently in Czech custody,” Gomez said in a statement.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. also announced Co’s arrest in a social media post.
“We are in close coordination with the Czech government to ensure that all legal processes are followed and to arrange for his return to the Philippines at the soonest possible time,” he said.
“We will keep the public informed as developments unfold.”
Co, former chair of the House Committee on Appropriations that oversees the national budget, had earlier been linked to alleged irregularities involving flood control projects.
He was declared a fugitive from justice after failing to submit to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan, which issued arrest warrants against him and several others in November 2025 over alleged irregularities in a multi-million road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. (PNA)
