Photo courtesy: Official Facebook page of Rep. Zaldy Co & Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File
Fugitive former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co was arrested in Prague, Czech Republic on Thursday, Apr. 16, 2026, after months in hiding over a multibillion-peso flood control scandal, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said.
Marcos announced Co’s arrest late Thursday, saying the former lawmaker is now in the custody of Czech authorities after entering the country without proper documentation.
He added that the Philippine government is coordinating with Czech officials to facilitate Co’s return.
“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,” Marcos said.
“We will keep the public informed as developments unfold,” he added.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday that Co could be deported to Manila within one to three weeks, depending on the processing of documents by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Remulla said Co’s lack of travel documents may complicate the process, noting that the former lawmaker was arrested without a valid passport after Philippine authorities had earlier canceled his travel papers.
“Because his deportation order is based on a canceled passport—he didn’t have his Portuguese passport with him. He wasn’t carrying anything… it’s like he became complacent. So when he was arrested there, it was noted that he had no travel documents. The DFA informed them that he was a wanted person,” he explained.
Co, a former chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, has been on the run since July 2025 after being implicated in alleged irregularities involving flood control and infrastructure projects.
He initially left the country citing medical treatment in the United States.
In November 2025, the Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants against Co and 17 others over a P289.4-million road dike project in Naujan, which investigators said was substandard and supported by falsified certifications to justify payments.
Authorities have tagged him as one of the alleged key figures in the broader flood control controversy, which has drawn public outrage following severe flooding incidents in 2025.
Upon his return to the Philippines, Co is expected to undergo a medical examination at Camp Crame in Quezon City before being transferred to the Sandiganbayan for arraignment and further legal proceedings.