Malacañang on Friday clarified that former lawmaker Zaldy Co is currently in the custody of Czech authorities and stressed that there is no contradiction between the statement of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the earlier announcement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding his situation abroad.
In a statement, Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro emphasized that President Marcos did not use the term “arrest” in his previous updates, noting that Co was instead held by Czech authorities due to immigration-related issues.
“Maliwanag ang sinabi ng Pangulo at ni SOJ Vida. Walang anumang contradiction. Hindi nanggaling sa Pangulo ang salitang ‘aresto.’ Ang sabi ng Pangulo ay nasa kustodiya ng Czech Republic si Zaldy Co dahil sa kakulangan sa proper documentation,” Castro said.
She added, “Nahuli si Zaldy Co due to immigration concerns.”
Castro also cited DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez, who earlier explained that Co’s situation was similar to a traveler being denied entry at an airport due to incomplete documents.
“For analogy, it’s similar to a situation in the airport where the person arrives and immigration denies entry… There is a deprivation of liberty to a certain degree,” Castro quoted Martinez as saying.
The Palace further maintained that Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida’s position is consistent with the President’s statement, rejecting any suggestion of conflicting accounts.
In previous announcements made on April 16, President Marcos said Co was denied entry at a European border point after attempting to enter without proper documentation and was subsequently returned to Czech authorities, where he remains in custody.
Co is reportedly linked to a multi-billion-peso flood control controversy and is facing graft and malversation charges before the Sandiganbayan over an alleged ₱289.4-million road dike project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. He was declared a fugitive from justice by the anti-graft court in November 2025.
Meanwhile, a high-level Philippine delegation led by Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida has traveled to Prague to coordinate with Czech authorities on possible legal remedies for Co’s return to the Philippines.
According to the DOJ, these options may include deportation, extradition, and the invocation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, to which both the Philippines and the Czech Republic are signatories.
“The Philippine government is mindful that this is a matter that involves the domestic laws, judicial processes, and data privacy regulations of a sovereign state,” the DOJ said.
