Philippines seeks return of Zaldy Co from Portugal
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:50 p.m.) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants a study of all the possible means to return resigned House lawmaker Zaldy Co to the Philippines — from special repatriation to the creation of an extradition treaty with Portugal.
Co, who has been treated as one of the masterminds in a massive corruption scheme at the Department of Public Works and Highways, was last reported in Portugal — a country that does not have an extradition treaty with the Philippines. An extradition treaty is a formal agreement between countries that they will return a person accused of crimes to their home nation for trial.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, January 13, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla repeated earlier theories of local authorities that Remulla has a Portuguese passport.
“Nagbigay na ng instructions ang president na formally mag-apply na kami ng extradition treaty sa kanila kahiit wala pang formal extradition treaty between the two countries. But through Interpol (International Police), mag request na kami ng repatriation ni Zaldy Co kung nasa Portugal talaga siya,” Remulla said.
(The president has formally given instructions to apply for an extradition treaty even if there is no formal treaty between the two countries. But through Interpol, we will request the repatriation of Zaldy Co if he really is in Portugal.)
As far as he knew, Remulla said, this was the first time the Philippines would request extradition with a non-treaty partner.
Remulla later backtracked on his statements on extradition, explaining that it would take too long.
Extraditing Co without a treaty is "almost impossible," he said. However, it was only one of the means that they were exploring.
"Let me clarify. The president instructed [us] to study the possibility of applying for extradition of Zaldy Co with Portugal," Remulla said.
Other avenues that Co could return to the Philippines include the United Nations, Interpol and more. Co long left the country before the flood control scandal made headlines. Billions of pesos are suspected to have been funneled through bogus flood control projects and other infrastructure developments, with lawmakers and officials allegedly taking home massive amounts of cash.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story cited Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla's statements on Zaldy Co's extradition. He has since clarified his remarks and the article has been updated.
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