No retrieval of Co, just Prague junket: Vida shouldn’t be there

The large contingent sent to fetch fugitive legislator Zaldy Co in Prague failed to impress critics, who said the trip was either unnecessary or amounted to a junket, using the unlikely repatriation of the former House appropriations chair as cover.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida led a huge contingent of mostly lawyers to the European nation, a pointless journey since their objective could have been assigned to embassy personnel, according to Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice.

“Co was supposedly arrested a week ago. We have an embassy there. If the government wants confirmation, they can go to the embassy. Then the embassy officials themselves can say, ‘yes, Zaldy is really here,’” Erice said.

He asked: “Why does the Department of Justice secretary need to go there? That’s the job of the Department of Foreign Affairs. What is the role of the DoJ in this? What is their involvement in an immigration issue? A violation of immigration law?”

“We already have the DFA there. And as far as I know, there isn’t even an Interpol Red Notice yet for Zaldy,” Erice said.

Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, an international law expert who is in Europe at this time, said it was hard to fathom the objective of Vida’s mission.

“They are going to Prague, Czech Republic, supposedly to bring Zaldy back. I don’t even know where he is right now. What I do know is that he is not detained. If he is not detained, how will they get him? They are saying he is in custody, which is fake news. Zaldy himself assured me that this is fake news,” Roque said.

He said Co was not speaking out because “as long as they don’t know his real situation, they will continue making mistakes.”

“I really think there is no basis for the secretary of justice, though only in acting capacity, and his large delegation to travel to the Czech Republic, except to have a grand vacation. Let’s be honest, Prague is one of the most beautiful places in the world. There’s the Charles Bridge, the astronomical clock in the Old City Center, Prague Castle, and the church of the Santo Niño of Prague. Who wouldn’t want to go there,” Roque said.

A failure to bring Zaldy back can’t just be shrugged off as “we did our best,” he added.

Roque, who is on self exile after he was charged with offenses related to the banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), said the reality is that there is no extradition treaty with the Czechs.

“You don’t even have a Red Notice from Interpol. And even if you did, under European Union human rights directives, that alone is not enough to arrest or extradite someone. A court order is still required,” he explained.

“And how can there be a court order when there is no extradition treaty between the Philippines and the Czech Republic?” he said.

In Europe, there are essentially no borders within the Schengen Area. People, vehicles, and goods can move freely. Only a few countries like Germany, Norway, and Slovenia have restored border controls.

“The point is, the government doesn’t even know where Zaldy is. They are just assuming he is in Europe. So how can they bring him back if they don’t even know his location?” Roque said.

“But of course, what’s wrong with traveling to one of the most beautiful places in the world? It’s a free trip. Especially now that airfare is very expensive due to the conflict in the Middle East,” he added.

Portugal factor

Co is reported to have a Portuguese passport that was likely acquired years earlier through Portugal’s golden visa investment program, making him a dual Philippine-Portuguese citizen.

He reportedly presented the Portuguese passport in Sweden in January 2026 but did not have it with him during the Czech border incident.

Republic Act 9225, or the Dual Citizenship Act of 2003, fully recognizes dual citizenship. Dual citizens enjoy all rights and obligations of Philippine citizens, but this status creates significant complications for Co.

As a dual national, Co can legally be deported to either the Philippines or Portugal. Legal experts have noted that Czech authorities could send him to Portugal instead, since he holds a valid Portuguese passport and EU-linked residency rights.

If deported to Portugal, his return to the Philippines will become far more difficult. Portugal generally does not extradite its nationals to non-EU countries except in limited cases such as terrorism or organized crime under specific treaties, or EU European Arrest Warrant procedures.

PBBM did not say ‘arrested’

Meanwhile, Malacañang on Friday backpedaled on the current situation of Co, saying that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not say that Co had been arrested but that he was in the custody of the Czech government.

“The President and SoJ Vida were clear, there is no contradiction. The word ‘arrest’ did not come from the President, Palace press officer Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Viber message.