MANILA, Philippines — January 22, 2026 — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed it is still awaiting action on its request for an Interpol red notice against former Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, who is facing plunder and corruption charges linked to alleged multi-billion peso flood control anomalies.

NBI spokesperson Palmer Mallari said the bureau has already followed up on the application but has yet to receive any update. “Recently nag-follow up po on status of app for red notice on Zaldy Co, wala pa rin,” Mallari told reporters. The request was filed through the Philippine Center for Transnational Crimes in November 2025, but Interpol has not issued the notice to date.

A red notice is not an arrest warrant but serves as a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal action. Once approved, it would allow authorities in member countries to act on Co’s case.

Co resigned from the House of Representatives in September 2025 and has since left the country. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier said it was “pretty certain” that Co is in a gated community in Lisbon, Portugal, though access to the area has proven difficult. His trial at the Sandiganbayan began on January 20, 2026, with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon testifying against him in connection with the alleged anomalous ₱289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

The Sandiganbayan has already issued arrest warrants against Co and several respondents, including DPWH officials and directors of Sunwest Corp., over the supposed irregularities. The NBI also filed a plunder complaint now under preliminary investigation at the Department of Justice.

Mallari stressed that the bureau continues to monitor the request and coordinate with international counterparts. “Unfortunately, ganun pa rin po, wala pa po tayong red notice on Mr. Zaldy Co,” he said.

The case has drawn significant public attention as one of the largest corruption scandals in recent years, with watchdog groups urging authorities to ensure accountability and prevent Co from evading justice abroad. 

Justice Delayed, Escape Enabled

Authorities point to procedure. Interpol red notices follow rules, reviews, and timelines. The National Bureau of Investigation says it has filed and followed up, and the Interpol does not move on demand. Due process matters, even across borders.

But time cuts both ways. While paperwork waits, suspects move. Delays create safe exits, gated addresses, and fading urgency. In plunder cases measured in billions, speed is accountability. Every day without action widens the gap between charges and custody.

Process should protect justice, not pause it. If timelines keep stretching, who benefits more, the rule of law or those already out of reach?