Former congressman Zaldy Co is no longer under the custody of Czech authorities, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.
“I have to share difficult news, mga kababayan. The Czech authorities have confirmed to us that Mr. Zaldy Co is no longer in their custody,” Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said in a press briefing held at the Philippine Embassy in Prague.
Vida said authorities can confirm that Co is still within the Schengen area.
“What we can confirm is that he is within the Schengen area. That is the workable intel that we have,” he added.
The Czech Republic, a landlocked country in Central Europe, is bordered by Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland.
“Definitely, he was traveling by land. We got information as to the registry of the vehicle,” Vida said, but declined to give further details, citing an “active operation.”
The DOJ chief also confirmed that Co was confronted by authorities on April 16 over immigration violations but was eventually released.
“We have listening posts. We are talking to some people, but there is nothing official from the Czech authorities. That’s why we waited for that meeting earlier (Monday, 2 p.m. Czech time),” he said.
Although the Sandiganbayan has issued a warrant of arrest against Co and declared him a fugitive, the DOJ admitted that the former lawmaker remains free in Europe.
“Yes, he is free,” Vida said, but expressed confidence that authorities will be able to apprehend Co again, noting that “his world is getting smaller.”
Vida said Co holds three passports: an official passport issued during his term as congressman, a regular passport that has since been canceled by the Sandiganbayan, and another passport that expired in 2022.
Despite the lack of a valid passport, Vida said Co was able to cross borders as physical inspections are rare when traveling by land within the Schengen zone, unlike at airports.
The DOJ added that the Philippines and the Czech Republic are now in talks for a possible police cooperation agreement to facilitate Co’s arrest.
