Malacañang stood firm on Monday regarding the accuracy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s previous statements concerning former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, following a linguistic dispute over whether the official had been “arrested” in the Czech Republic.
The issue stems from an April 16 announcement where the President stated that Co had been apprehended in Prague for allegedly crossing the border with insufficient documentation.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) later adjusted the narrative, noting that Co was “not technically arrested,” which led to public scrutiny regarding the President’s initial report.
During a Palace briefing on April 27, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro clarified that the President never personally used the specific legal term “arrest.”
She maintained that the Chief Executive exercised deliberate caution to avoid misinformation.
“Maingat po ang Pangulo sa pagbibigay ng anunsiyo sa ating taumbayan kaya huwag ipahid sa Pangulo ang salitang aresto dahil hindi po niya iyan ginamit,” Castro said.
The Palace press officer argued that being “caught” or “stopped” by foreign authorities is a broad concept that does not always translate to a formal arrest in a judicial sense.
According to Castro, the President’s report remained factually grounded because Co’s freedom of movement was indeed restricted by Czech officials.
“Ang ‘nahuli’ na salita ay very general. So, kapag nahuli, puwede nating sabihin na napahinto, na-stop, na-prevent sa pagkilos, at hindi mali ang Pangulo sa kaniyang inulat noong April 16,” she added.
The Philippine government confirmed it is maintaining an open line of communication with Czech Republic authorities to manage the legalities of the situation.
Castro emphasized that the administration’s priority is to follow proper international protocols to facilitate Co’s eventual return to the Philippines.
“At sinabi pa nga niya rito na 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 dahil iyon ang nais ng Pangulo kaya makikipag-coordinate sa Czech Republic,” Castro concluded.