MANILA, Philippines — Resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co was last seen in Japan, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
Last July, Co left the country and reportedly sought medical treatment in the United States.
The former lawmaker then traveled to Europe, then Singapore, then Portugal, Remulla noted in an interview on DZBB on Friday.
“His last known location, a few days ago, was in Japan, but he has since left. We do not have information yet as to where he came from before Japan,” said Remulla in Filipino.
Where is Co now? Remulla said, “We will know as soon as the immigration authorities inform us […] He won’t trick us. As long as we have the legal authority, we will get him.”
Late Friday afternoon, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that arrest warrants had been issued against Co and 17 others in the Department of Public Works and Highways and construction firm Sunwest Corporation in connection with allegedly anomalous infrastructure projects in Oriental Mindoro.
READ: PNP ‘working closely’ with Sandiganbayan on Zaldy Co’s arrest
According to the DILG chief, the Philippine government already sought an International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) blue notice two months ago.
An Interpol blue notice aims to “collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.”
Remulla said the court has yet to seek an Interpol red notice and to cancel Co’s passport.
An Interpol red notice aims to “seek the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.”
Meanwhile, back at home, the DILG chief said security forces were still monitoring Co’s possible whereabouts.
“We don’t know where he is, but he might enter here. So, we’re going to his home to see if he could really be there,” Remulla explained.
“We’re looking at the video surveillance of his office. We’re seeing if he has been here in the last five months, six months,” he added.
READ: Tracker teams deployed to go after Zaldy Co, 17 others – DILG
Remulla also said the DILG had already deployed police tracker teams to go after Co and his co-accused.
Co is linked to Sunwest Corporation and was formerly the House appropriations committee chair who oversaw the congressional deliberations of the 2025 national budget.
Last Tuesday, the first set of charges against Co and 17 others over an alleged anomalous P289.5-million road dike project in Oriental Mindoro was raffled off by the Sandiganbayan.
Co has since denied the accusations against him and instead pointed to Marcos as the mastermind behind the alleged corruption.
The PNP previously said it was ready to enforce arrest warrants against personalities allegedly involved in corruption of flood control and other infrastructure projects. /mr
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