Bringing back former Ako-Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co from Portugal through deportation will take a long time, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday.

“Most improbable,” Remulla said, referring to remarks of ML Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima, who urged the government to negotiate Co’s deportation rather than pursue an extradition treaty.

“That is the most logical but the most improbable... What Rep. Leila is saying is easy to say, but it has to follow the rule of law,” Remulla said in a radio interview.

“You need an extradition request to deport him. The mere cancellation of a passport does not work because he has a Portuguese passport. His passport gives him rights and privileges as a Portuguese,” Remulla said.

Remulla said the Philippines and Portugal have no extradition treaty, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said he is eyeing negotiating one for Co’s arrest.

However, he said the Philippine government is exploring avenues to repatriate Co.

“We are studying what avenues are open at the United Nations, what agreements we have there,” Remulla said.

“We will know within this week what is possible, but for now, there is no extradition between Portugal and the Philippines,” he said.

Co is one of the legislators implicated in the flood control controversy.

Corruption and malversation of public funds charges have already been filed against Co and others with the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous P289-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.