Manila: Malaca±ang on Thursday said the government remains optimistic that fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co will be located and brought back to the Philippines to face charges, even as authorities verify conflicting reports on his whereabouts in Europe.
According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government is coordinating closely with concerned agencies after court documents indicated that Co may be in Sweden, contrary to local authorities' information that he was hiding in Portugal. 'Sa ngayon po ay nakikipag-ugnayan din po tayo sa DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] at ang huli nga po nilang sinabi ay aalamin po nila kung ito'y may katotohanan (At present, we are coordinating with the DILG, and they said they will verify whether this information is true),' Castro said during a Palace briefing.
Court records reportedly showed that Co personally appeared before a Swedish notary public on Jan. 15, 2026, contradicting repeated previous statements by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla that the former lawmaker was believed to be staying in Portugal.
Co is facing charges of graft and malversation in connection with an alleged ghost flood control project worth PHP289.5 million in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. His co-accused are already in detention.
Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. continues to trust government agencies tasked with tracking down fugitives and dismissed suggestions that the President is frustrated over Co remaining at large. 'Hindi natin masasabing may frustration ang Pangulo dahil alam po niya na ang mga namumuno sa mga ahensiya ng gobyerno na tumutugis sa mga fugitive ay nagtatrabaho nang ayon sa kaniyang utos (We cannot say that the President is frustrated because he knows that officials leading agencies pursuing fugitives are working in accordance with his directives),' Castro said.
'Optimistic ang Pangulo na mahuhuli at madadala ang mga nagtatago sa kamay ng batas dito sa Pilipinas para mapanagot kung sila ay dapat na mapanagot (The President is optimistic that those hiding from the law will be arrested and brought back to the Philippines to be held accountable if warranted),' she added.
