Zaldy Co out of Czech custody, moves through Schengen borders by land — DOJ

Former congressman Zaldy Co has slipped out of Czech custody and is now moving undetected across Europe’s open borders via land, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). 

In a press briefing at the Philippine Embassy in Prague last night, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida confirmed that Czech officials had informed them that Co is no longer being held, just days after he was initially accosted for carrying an expired passport.

“I have to share difficult news… Czech authorities have informed us that Mr. Zaldy Co is no longer in their custody,” Vida said.

Despite the setback, Vida said the Philippine officials are working with “actionable” intelligence indicating Co remains somewhere within the Schengen zone—a bloc of 29 European countries where internal border checks are largely abolished.

“From the moment we receive information on his whereabouts, the Philippine government move as quickly as we could. We coordinated with international authorities and the president dispatched this mission to Prague. But we are working across sovereign borders,” Vida stressed. 

Co is believed to have been traveling by land, taking advantage of the region’s minimal physical inspections at internal borders.

“Definitely, he was traveling by land. We also received information regarding the vehicle’s registry and the driver,” Vida disclosed, though he declined to release further details due to an ongoing operation.

Vida acknowledged a critical limitation: while officials know Co is inside the Schengen area, they cannot pinpoint his exact location.

“They are citing Schengen protocols and data privacy,” he explained, referring to restrictions on sharing real-time movement data between countries.

“What we can confirm is that he is within the Shenzhen area. That is the workable intel that we have,” he added. 

Vida noted that the DOJ has already filed an application for a red notice against Co.

“Every country has its own laws, processes, and timelines. And we cannot compel a foreign government to act outside its legal framework. What we can do is work within those frameworks as aggressively as the law allows,” Vida said. 

“We are awaiting Interpol’s evaluation. Once issued, the red notice would enable any member country to detain and return him through extradition or deportation,” he added. 

Co was first flagged by Czech authorities on 16 April while allegedly attempting to cross into Germany without proper documentation. He was carrying a passport that expired on 11 September 2022.

According to Vida, Co had been issued three passports: an official passport from his time in Congress; a regular passport later canceled by Philippine authorities; and the expired passport found in his possession. 

Co’s canceled passport had originally been valid until 2032.

Philippine officials are now racing to track Co as he moves across land borders linking the Czech Republic to Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovakia—routes that are difficult to monitor due to the absence of routine checks.

Co is wanted in the Philippines on charges of corruption and malversation tied to an alleged ghost flood control project.

Further, Vida said both the Czech government and the Philippine government “have agreed to begin formal negotiations on a mutual legal assistance treaty, an extradition treaty, and a transfer of sentenced persons agreement.”