By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed concerned government agencies to pursue an extradition treaty with Portugal to facilitate the arrest and return of former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co to the Philippines, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jonvic Remulla announced Tuesday.
In a press briefing at Malacañang, Remulla said authorities suspect that Co is currently in Portugal and possesses a Portuguese passport.
“Nagbigay ng instruction si President na formally mag-apply kami ng extradition treaty sa kanila, kahit wala pang formal extradition treaties between the two countries,” he said.
“Pero through the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization), magre-request na kami ng repatriation ni Zaldy Co kung nasa Portugal talaga siya,” he added.
The former lawmaker, who was also the House Committee of Appropriations chair from 2022 to 2025, is the subject of an arrest warrant over an alleged P289.5-million anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
In a phone interview with Malacañang reporters following the press briefing, Remulla clarified that Marcos Jr. instructed them to study the possibility of applying for extradition of Co from Portugal but admitted that extradition treaties take years to be formalized.
“It will take too long, eh. A treaty takes years and years so the other avenues possible is pag-aralan kung paano namin, natin magagawa ang extradition niya without passing through a treaty,” he said in a phone interview with Malacañang reporters.
Remulla likewise assured that the government is committed to exploring all avenues available to repatriate the embattled lawmaker.
“We will look for all possible means to repatriate Zaldy Co to the Philippines,” he said. (with report from Clay Pardilla / PTV News)
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