Zaldy Co Arrested In Prague After Failed Border Crossing

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — Fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co is currently in the custody of Czech authorities after being intercepted at the border while attempting to flee into Germany.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. confirmed the arrest late Thursday, 16 April 2026, stating that the former chair of the House Committee on Appropriations was detained for entering the Czech Republic without proper documentation.

"The latest information confirms that Zaldy Co was stopped at the German border after entering from the Czech Republic," President Marcos posted on social media. "He was denied entry and returned to Czech authorities, where he remains in custody."

Reports indicate that Co, whose Philippine passport was cancelled in December 2025, had been moving through Europe using a foreign passport and a "golden visa" obtained from Portugal. His attempt to cross from Prague into Germany triggered an alert with German border police, leading to his denial of entry and subsequent arrest by Czech law enforcement.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla stated on Friday that the government is aiming to bring Co back to the Philippines within one to three weeks. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are currently managing the administrative and legal requirements with Prague to expedite his 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," the President added.

The former Ako Bicol Party-list representative has been a "fugitive from justice" since February 2026, when the Sandiganbayan issued warrants for his arrest. Co faces charges of graft and malversation related to a 289.5-million-peso road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Beyond the Mindoro case, Co is a central figure in a multibillion-peso investigation into substandard and "missing" flood control infrastructures. Several officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have previously tagged the former lawmaker in an alleged kickback scheme involving his family-linked firm, Sunwest Corp.

The Akbayan Party welcomed the arrest on Friday, calling it an "important step toward accountability" regarding the 2025 budget and infrastructure controversies. Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc urged the government to ensure Co's return leads to a "full public reckoning" over the flood control scam.

Co had resigned from his post in late 2025 shortly before the House of Representatives could move to expel him. While abroad, he released several videos attempting to implicate the administration in corruption, claims which Malacañang has consistently denied.