Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday said authorities are stepping up efforts to arrest fugitive former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co by red-flagging his foreign passport and coordinating with international law enforcement agencies.
Remulla explained that placing a red flag on Co’s passport would alert border authorities and restrict his movement across countries.
Co is facing an arrest warrant over a graft case linked to alleged corruption in a flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.
“He’s using a foreign passport, so nakakaikot siya nang malaya roon. But now, we’re gonna go harder—ire-red flag natin ‘yong foreign passport niya. Kinukuha namin ‘yong kopya ng passport, then we will put it through Interpol para hindi na siya makalabas ng Portugal at, kung lumabas man, mahuhuli natin,” Remulla told reporters at Camp Crame.
Co was earlier believed to be hiding in a gated community in Lisbon, Portugal. However, a recent report showed that he appeared before a notary public in Stockholm, Sweden on January 15, based on an apostille attached to a petition he filed before the Supreme Court.
Remulla said the government is also working closely with Swedish authorities and pursuing the issuance of an Interpol red notice against the former lawmaker.
“In fact, I am leaving tonight. I’m gonna be making some coordination calls,” he said.
Co previously served as chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations before becoming the subject of the graft case.