CONTRARY to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s claim, former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co won’t be coming home soon to face charges over the trillion-peso worth of anomalies behind the government’s flood control program.
Worse, Co, who has been hopping from one European state after another for the last nine months, is set to be released by the government of the Czech Republic tomorrow, April 19.
Considered one of the brains behind the trillion-peso flood control scandal, was previously arrested in the Czech Republic for entering the country without proper documentation.
“By tomorrow Zaldy Co will be released from detention,” according to a highly-placed source in an exclusive interview with The PH Insider.
NO RED NOTICE
When asked as to what basis would the Czech government release Co, the source candidly blamed Remulla, whom he claimed failed to secure a “Red Notice” from the International Police Organization (Interpol).
“As it turns out, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) never requested for an Interpol Red Notice,” the source revealed.
An Interpol Red Notice is an international request for law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal action.
Part of the requirements is for the requesting member state to make a formal request and authenticated copy of the arrest warrant issued by the local court.
“Yung DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) has been asking the Secretary of Interior and Local Government to request for a red notice for nine long months… inupuan lang ni Jonvic,” the source added.
LIGHT INFRACTION
Despite the highly-publicized arrest that was announced by no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself, the Czech Republic’s immigration authorities could only detain the former partylist congressman for 48 hours at the most.
“He is now detained in Prague after crossing into the Czech Republic without proper documentation and is currently in the custody of Czech authorities,” Marcos posted on his official Facebook account.
Earlier this year, the Czech Republic overhauled its immigration framework, creating a fully digital system for residence proceedings under the new Act on the Stay of Foreigners, managed through an Online Foreigner Account.
While the Czech Republic requires Schengen visas for short-term stays (90 days or less), Co may opt to go online and process an application that would legitimize his entry. It is not certain though whether the fugitive congressman would be slapped with fines.
MINOR COMPLICATION
In a radio interview on Friday, Remulla himself admitted a minor complication surrounding Co’s arrest, even as he claimed that it is the DFA that is coordinating with Czech authorities for Co’s deportation.
“Maybe in as little as one week, but it could take as long as three weeks. That depends on the DFA—they’re really the lead on this, not me; I’m just coordinating,” the DILG chief was quoted during the DZMM interview.
“Because his deportation order is based on a canceled passport — he didn’t have his Portuguese passport with him. He wasn’t carrying anything… It’s like he became complacent. So when he was arrested there, it was noted that he had no travel documents. The DFA informed them that he was a wanted person,” he explained.
GRAND HOMECOMING
Under existing protocols, Co upon arrival will undergo a complete physical examination at Camp Crame in Quezon City to determine fitness to stand trial.
From Camp Crame, the former legislator will be detained at the Sandiganbayan, undergo arraignment, and face a ruling on whether his charges are bailable.
Remulla in a news article which appeared on the website of the Philippine Inquirer claimed Manila was in close coordination with the Czech government to ensure that all legal processes were followed and to arrange for his return to the Philippines “at the soonest possible time.”
“We will keep the public informed as developments unfold,” he added.
Co was the former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, which oversees the national budget.
He left the country in July last year initially for “medical treatment in the United States” after being implicated in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.
While in hiding, Co resigned and has yet to return for which he was declared a fugitive from justice.