‘Huli ka, balbon!’
Justice in the Philippines has too often been a net that catches the small fry while the truly predatory remain in the deep waters.
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Justice in the Philippines has too often been a net that catches the small fry while the truly predatory remain in the deep waters.
The long-awaited cry of “Huli ka, balbon!” (Gotcha!) finally rang out on 16 April after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the arrest of former congressman Zaldy Co in Prague. The long arm of the law finally reached across continents to snag one of its most elusive targets.
While Co’s capture on the Czech-German border — reportedly because he lacked proper travel documents — is a significant victory for the administration, it marks only the beginning of a much larger quest for accountability.
For months, Co was a central figure in the multibillion-peso flood control scandal. As the former chair of the House Appropriations Committee, he was accused of orchestrating a system of kickbacks from substandard infrastructure projects that left communities vulnerable.
His flight in July 2025, supposedly for “medical reasons,” and his subsequent use of a foreign passport to travel around Europe, had become a glaring symbol of how the powerful can seemingly outrun justice.
However, the public’s gaze is already shifting. While the Department of the Interior and Local Government anticipates his repatriation within three weeks, the critical question remains: is Co the “big fish,” or merely a high-level gatekeeper?
In his own defensive videos issued from abroad, Co claimed to be the “fall guy” in a “three-tier corruption machine.” Whether this claim is the desperate deflection of a fugitive or the opening of Pandora’s box, it suggests a deeper network that remains untouched.
Malacañang has expressed satisfaction with the arrest, framing Co as a “big fish.” Yet, true accountability requires following the evidence wherever it may lead. If Co’s return simply ends in a quiet plea deal or a localized prosecution, the “big fish” will remain in the deep water, protected by the same system that allowed the public funds to be drained while Filipinos waded through literal floods.
President Marcos Jr. had vowed to catch the “big fishes” behind the infrastructure mess. If the administration intends to fulfill this promise, it must ensure that Co’s return is not the finale, but is a catalyst. The goal should not be to simply lock up a former ally, but to dismantle the entire machinery that allowed billions of pesos to vanish while Filipinos had to wade through floodwaters.
Justice in the Philippines has too often been a net that catches the small fry while the truly predatory remain in the deep waters. The capture of Zaldy Co is a rare opportunity to prove that the net is finally strong enough to hold even those at the very top. Bringing him home is a necessary first step; making him speak and following that trail wherever it leads is the real test of this government’s integrity.
“Huli ka, balbon.” We got our man. Now, we wait to see if we finally have the courage to net the whales.
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