APRIL 20, 2026 — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the dispatch of a high-level Philippine team to the Czech Republic to secure the return of fugitive ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co, who faces graft and malversation charges tied to the controversial flood control projects. Co was arrested in Prague after attempting to cross into Germany without travel documents, and the government insists he must answer to the Filipino people.

Zaldy Co, former Ako Bicol party-list representative and ex-chair of the House appropriations committee, has long been accused of benefiting from ghost flood control projects and substandard infrastructure worth ₱289 million in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. The projects were linked to Sunwest Corporation, owned by his family. A former public works executive also implicated him in alleged kickbacks. 

Co has denied the accusations but fled the country in August 2025, avoiding trial.

His arrest in Prague last week reignited public debate. 

Marcos, in a video message, said, “We will bring Zaldy Co home and we will do so in accordance with the law. He will answer to the Filipino people.”

This case touches on the deep frustration of Filipinos over corruption in public works, especially flood control projects that directly affect communities vulnerable to typhoons and heavy rains. Billions of pesos have been poured into flood mitigation, yet ordinary citizens still wade through waist-deep waters every rainy season.

The image of a powerful lawmaker attempting to slip past European borders without papers is symbolic — it reflects how those accused of corruption often try to evade accountability. Marcos’ move to send a high-level team signals political will, but will this be a genuine pursuit of justice, or another drawn-out legal spectacle?

For us Filipinos, the return of Zaldy Co is not just about one man’s trial but about whether the government can prove that no one is above the law, and whether flood control funds meant to protect lives and livelihoods were stolen or misused. The credibility of institutions like the DOJ, DFA, and Sandiganbayan will be tested in how swiftly and transparently this case is handled.

Do you think bringing Zaldy Co home will finally mark a turning point in holding powerful politicians accountable for corruption, or will it be another chapter in the now seemingly endless cycle of impunity?

(Image: Rep. Zaldy Co | Facebook)