Arrest of Philippine ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co ‘missing puzzle piece’ in flood-control probe
Observers say Co’s arrest is a ‘notable step towards accountability’ and committee hearings on the flood control scandal could resume
Observers called Co’s arrest a “notable step towards accountability” in a case that had stalled after the collapse of the commission set up to investigate it.
Co resigned from the House of Representatives in September after being implicated in the scandal. He was detained in Prague after crossing into the Czech Republic without proper documentation, Marcos announced on Thursday night.
The Philippines has no extradition treaty with the Czech Republic, and officials said Co’s return could take one to three weeks.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla called Co’s arrest “the missing puzzle piece” in a broader investigation into anomalies in the country’s infrastructure projects.
“The pieces of the puzzle are slowly being put together,” he told reporters. “Expect next week that more information will come out. We will piece together the mystery of this flood control [scandal].”